Will Pooley: interview 1 and PDF transcript

Date:
24/05/2015
Reference:
OH3/25/1
Part of:
Ebola Voices Oral Histories
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    Will Pooley: interview 1 and PDF transcript. In copyright. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Description

    [00:00:00] Will Pooley [WP] background as registered nurse with Tropical Nursing Diploma at LSH [London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine], going to Freetown in March 2014 to work with Shepherds Hospice a Sierra Leonian charity, why he went into nursing, degree in international development at UEA [University of East Anglia], Ebola Awareness meeting at clinic in early June 2014, living in Jui, Sierra Leone, his neighbours having a vigil for someone that had died of Ebola symptoms (before Ebola was confirmed in Sierra Leone). [00:11:00] WP describes why he went to work in Kenema, Sierra Leone, Ebola rumours, a need for nurses in Kenema, his work at Kenema Hospital when he arrived in early July, different pillars of Ebola response, contact tracing training. [00:18:00] discussion about Deputy Matron Josephine Sellu and Matron who died (Sister Mbalu Fonnie), mentions the World Health Organisation doctors; Daniel [Bowsh], Tim O’Dempsey and Tak Adouchi. [00:19:30] Ebola training, PPE (personal protective equipment) training, describes people’s worries about Ebola at that time. [00:22:30] Dan [Bowsh] being in charge, then meeting Dr Khan [Dr. Sheik Umar Khan]. [00:23:45] WP explains that early on local Sierra Leonian nursing and cleaning team were not working ‘on strike’ staff being scared to work, pay problem, staff shortage. [00:25:20] mentions his intended role with Sister Mbalu Fonnie linking the two teams [WHO doctors and Local Sierra Leonian hospital staff]. [00:26:40] Recalls being on perimeter of Ebola Unit for the first time, seeing Sister Mbalu looking unwell, talking to her, the care given to her by hospital staff before she died. [00:29:50] The different Ebola wards at the hospital at that time. [00:31:30] First day/introduction to Ebola wards according to patient status, treating patients inside Ebola unit, workday routine, mentions Nancy Yoko taking over from Mbalu after she got sick. [00:35:00] Describes the physical work and what he saw on the ward, vomiting, diarrhoea, the state of the ward, corpses, patients coming in too late, flooded bathrooms, patients dying in the bathrooms common, dealing with corpses when starting work again in the morning. [00:40:23] remarks on his exposure to the disease but he thought his practice was safer than the local staff’s, describes ‘The Red zone’ risks, the unsafe eating and preparation of food, unsafe de-contaminating, buddy system. [00:45:40] Falling ill six weeks in, around August 20th. [00:46:45] End of interview (see interview 2).

    Publication/Creation

    24/05/2015

    Physical description

    472 MB 1 WAV file, 1 transcript

    Copyright note

    The interviewers copyright in these recordings has been assigned to Wellcome Collection. The interviewee still holds their copyright in these recordings. You are free to use the material in any way that is permitted by copyright exceptions and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights holder.

    Notes

    PDF transcript created by archivist for preservation and access reasons. See OH3/25/3 for original Microsoft Word format version of transcript.

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