At the front line of battle against disease

LIU LEI

Title: Director of Ebola prevention training

Age: 41

Working at: Chongqing Daping Hospital affiliated to Third PLA Military Medical University

Liu Lei suffered a scare when, on the eighth day after she arrived in Liberia, she got a fever.

"I am a very healthy person and I hardly ever have a fever in China," she said. "Fortunately, it was just a common cold and I recovered in three days. I was just too tired."

Ebola prevention training for the local community is one of the major tasks of Chinese medical teams. The original goal was to train 1,500 people in six months. But Liu and her colleagues reached the target in just two months.

About 15 Chinese medical workers took part in the training program. Altogether they ran 20 sessions, both at the Ebola treatment unit and outside, for Liberian military staff, the police department, medical staff, peacekeeping troops and community workers.

As the gatherings faced a very high risk of Ebola infections, Liu said, every participant had to wash their hands, take body temperature checks inside and outside of the classroom, and keep a safe distance from the others. The classroom was thoroughly disinfected and ventilated after each training session.

"We were very glad that the preventive measures worked and no one got infected," Liu said.

All the classes were taught in English, and the Chinese team prepared three sets of instructions, PowerPoint presentations, videos and scenario simulations, to help teach the preventive measures.

"The training was well-received and the local students would stand up and applaud us when it was over," said the director.

A questionnaire showed that their satisfaction rate was 95.8 percent, Liu said.

"They suggested longer training sessions, a better lunch, and stronger air conditioning."