Discharge certificate, confirming triage and negative Ebola test

A discharge certificate, to confirm that an individual has been through triage and tested negative for Ebola, sanctioned by the Sierra Leone government and used by health workers at the Manteneh Ebola Treatment Centre during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, 2014-2015

When a person had tested negative Ebola, they were discharged from health care facilities and given a certificate. The certificate has space for the person’s sex, age, address and the date. The final “This is to certify that [space for name] who was admitted at the Mateneh ETC has gone through the triage and tested negative for Ebola Virus Disease. He/she is therefore discharged home to their community.”

Produced by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, of the Government of Sierra Leone, these certificates aim to prevent discrimination for those who have had symptoms like those associated with Ebola – fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, joint and muscle pain, headache, and potentially internal bleeding and bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose, or mouth. Ebola is transmitted such as through contact with blood and body fluids of someone with an active infection. Some people lost their jobs and others lost their homes after being evicted over fears of the virus spreading.

The West African epidemic of Ebola that began in 2014 was the most widespread outbreak of the virus disease in history—causing major loss of life and disruption to society and the economy, mainly in the countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. It became international news and prompted an international medical response. In June 2016 when Guinea was the last country to be declared free of Ebola, there were more than 28,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths. Since 2021, a vaccine has been available to protect high-risk populations and frontline workers.