A paramedic based in Melbourn has been spending the Christmas period on Sierra Leone treating Ebola patients

Darrel Singh, who works at the East of England Ambulance Service’s headquarters, is one of more than 70 NHS volunteers who have travelled to the West African country to contain, control and defeat the disease, which has claimed the lives of more than 7,500 people across the continent.

The 48-year-old arrived in the capital of Freetown on December 7 to undergo training in specialist protection suits and has since been treating patients in nearby Kerry Town at a British-funded centre run by charity Save the Children.

Darrel, who was working on Christmas Day, said: “My experience of Kerry Town so far has been a roller coaster ride, but I have seen enormous change already since deploying here.

“It has been very heartening to have a sizeable team of Cuban medical brigade, Sierra Leone Ministry of Health staff, Save the Children staff, British military and NHS England on shift.

“The survivor results have been a real lift and the increase in capacity we have achieved is very satisfying.”

Save the Children chief executive Justin Forsyth said: “Treating and preventing Ebola is difficult and dangerous work, but we are making progress. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all the workers out there.”