FAIRMOUNT Hotel in Livingstone has said that it did not turn away five delegates from Ebola hit country, Sierra Leon, last week.
The delegates, who were later accommodated at Zambezi Sun Hotel, were in Livingstone last week for the 32nd annual conference of the Association for Education Assessment in Africa (AEAA) which was hosted by Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ).
Fairmount Hotel operations manager Chanda Munkonge said his entity did not turn away Sierra-Leone delegates.
Mr Munkonge said his Hotel was merely adhering to Health Minister Joseph Kasonde’s earlier press statement which stated that delegates coming from countries affected by the Ebola virus were restricted from entering Zambia until further notice.
“Please note that the mentioned people came to our Hotel and they were received by our staff in the reception as we were trying to get more clarification from the Ministry of Health as the Ministry had on the same day of August 8, 2014 issued a statement on its website that nationals coming from Ebola hit countries were restricted from entering Zambia until further notice.
As concerned citizens, we called the Ministry of Health to help and give a direction on the matter as we are not a health institution but a hospitality one,” Mr Munkonge said.
He said as a law abiding firm, the Hotel told the five delegates from Sierra-Leone to wait in the reception as it was waiting to get instructions from the Ministry of Health.
“We as Fairmount Hotel did not refuse to check in the mentioned clients. The delegates were then taken away from our institution by ECZ in the company of medical personnel, who said all persons from the affected region will be accommodated in one area where the clinic will be established for easy access to them by doctors,” he said.
Mr Munkonge said the decision of taking away the delegates was arrived at by the organisers of the AEAA conference and the medical officers and it was not the call of the Hotel.
“We therefore demand that you retract your article and clarify as well as clear our name.
Should you wish the undersigned to be interviewed by you to get the true picture of the story, the undersigned will be available,” Mr Munkonge said.
Last week on Sunday, ECZ principal examination officer – processing and certification Chairperson Albert Siamunako told journalists at a media briefing in Livingstone that five delegates from Sierra Leon were not allowed entry at Fairmount Hotel despite being screened by heath officials at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport.
And in his presentation to delegates during the official opening of the AEAA conference, Livingstone District Medical Officer Cliff Hara said it was unfortunate that some delegates from West Africa were not allowed entry into some hotels despite being screened by health officials at the airport.
Education, Science, Vocation Training and Early Education Minister John Phiri, in his official opening speech, apologised on behalf of the Zambian Government to all delegates who were inconvenience after being screened.
Livingstone General Hospital medical superintendent Namani Monze told Health Minister Joseph Kasonde during an Ebola stakeholder sensitisation meeting at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport that Sierra-Leone delegates were not allowed entry at Fairmount Hotel despite being screened.
In response, Dr Kasonde clarified that Government had not imposed a ban on people coming from Ebola hit countries but had merely issued a travel advisory note as a precautionary measure.
Safety nikuisunga we mwine, dady!
chanda you did well…….ebola tefintu.ba stone we could have finished.
When Dr. C. Banda said the ban is illigal,some “useful *****s” insulted him. Now they are swallowing their vomit. It is backfiring on them. Fairmount hotel just carried out the orders. They were correct according to MoH instructions. PF only changed statements after Dr. Banda codemned them.
So Fairmount thought it should play the role of immigration? If the people were already legally allowed in the country then they had been screened and accepted. Well done! Sure this will help tourism!
Sometimes, I wonder if we have been told the truth about how this Ibola is transmitted, looking at the precautionary measures being taken! If it is not airborne, why should you even deny people entry who are not going to share any fluids with anyone carelessly? Why don’t we screen people coming for HIV and other fluid transmitted diseases? Why not just ask the delegates and the Zambians coming in contact with them, to avoid shaking hands, etc? From some measures taken, it would seem their mere presence can spread the Ibola through the air!
KMB or KBM; Ebola is deadly; they could have left sweat on the beddings which would have been handled by the cleaning maids. This would have exposed the poor Zambians causing the wide spread of Ebola. I am sure you by now that it has reached Tanzania and south Africa. all the victims have come from these Ebola infested countries. Kudus to fair mount hotel for protecting us Zambians from the deadly Ebola virus.
They should be awarded for taking such a conscious precaution! These are the people Zambians need as leaders for if one person brought it to the Hotel, the entire country could have been at risk.
Many countries are restricting such movements. Some of them are Cote d’Ivoire and Kenya. This restriction is temporary and it is intended to protect the public. It will be lifted as soon as the situation has stabilized.
I thought the directive was that people from ebola stricken countries should not be allowed in.Taking temp at airport is not enough from such people.These nations shouldnt attend intarnational meetings.Remember the presidents of such affected countries were not allowed to attend the meeting of African leaders with USA president.Fairmount hotel was absolutely right.Keep it up.
I have looking for Ebola-conscious accommodation in Livingstone.
Now I have found it.
Fairmount Hotel it is!
Fairs hotel you did good…..thumbs up