AN unassuming retired teacher from Hale played a pivotal role in stemming the spread of fatal disease Ebola in a Sierra Leone district.

The Ebola epidemic brought the West African country to its knees in 2014 and 2015, resulting in 3955 deaths.

Keith Neal, a former head of biology at Manchester Grammar School, has dedicated recent years to humanitarian work in Sierra Leone, working with charities to improve education and bring solar lights to impoverished communities.

By helping get lights to a number of other communities across Africa, the 77-year-old knew that medical teams could continue to work after dark and dramatically increase the number of people they could identify and treat.

One of his Sierra Leonean friends was working as a volunteer in the fight against Ebola and Keith reached out to him to see if some portable solar lights would be of help. The medical director for Bo District, Dr Alhaji S. Turay, greatly welcomed assistance.

Thanks to Keith’s hard work the charity to which he is an ambassador, SolarAid, was able to distribute 100 GreenLight Planet solar lights to the region.

The lights, which were flown from China to Sierra Leone and transported to Bo District by Keith’s friend, were distributed to the 15 chiefdoms in Bo District.

Dr Turay said: “SolarAid [with help from Keith Neal] donated one hundred portable solar lights to the District Ebola Response. The donation was very timely and contributed greatly to the control of the spread of Ebola in the district.”

The District Health Management Team from Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and Sanitation confirmed that 15 chiefdom taskforces, 10 burial teams, five emergency obstetrics and neonatal care centres, five Pillars for Ebola Response and the Central Command Centre were able to work around the clock treating those in the stricken district because of the donation.

This international operation helped medical teams confirm 314 case of Ebola in the district.

In November 2015, the World Health Organisation declared Sierra Leone free of the disease.

Keith said: “It’s wonderful to hear that Ebola has finally been eliminated but the needs of the country are such that charities like SolarAid are badly needed to help with the lack of lighting. Most families don’t have electricity and anybody can play a part in changing this.”

Visit solar-aid.org for more information.