On the Fight against Ebola....... Maada Bio Calls on Government to Allow Ebola Survivors to Tell their Stories to Give Hope By Josephine Koroma (Iron Lady) Following his return to Sierra Leone to help in the fight against the Ebola outbreak the Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio revealed earlier this week in an interview that in his meeting with Pres. Koroma he advised the President to allow the Ebola Survivors to tell their stories. Since the outbreak of the ebola virus, it is clear that there have been many myths and misconceptions around the ebola virus disease. Part of that myths around ebola have been that people are been injected with ebola in hospital or that Ebola does not exist. Similarly, it has also been the case that since the outbreak we have heard very little of the stories of the Ebola Survivors many of whom have braved through this deadly virus. And by hearing the stories of the ebola virus people will be confident in the fact that whilst there is no known cure for ebola if people report early to treatment centers or Government Hospitals they have a greater chance of survival. As such the call by Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio for government to allow ebola survivors to tell their stories has been praised by many citizens across the country who think that by so doing such move will encourage more people to go to treament centers or hospitals if they experience symptoms of the ebola virus disease. “This is the type of message and new initiative we expect from a man whom we hope will succeed President Koroma” a very impressed Abacha Street trader said after she listened to Rtd Brig. Julius Maada Bio’s interview earlier this week. Even the International experts in Sierra Leone have also been calling for such message. According to Jo Dunlop, a UNICEF Consultant based in Sierra Leone in a recent blog on Ebola survivors Jo said “Ebola survivors can play a valuable role in dispelling myths and in gaining community support in the fight against Ebola. Some people in Sierra Leone still have not accepted that Ebola is real. While many survivors fear stigma, some are now coming forward and telling their brave stories. Community mobilisation is a vital part of the Ebola response and these testimonies will help communities to accept that Ebola is a serious illness that the community must fight it together.” According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation as of 14th August 2014, there are now a total of 200 patients who have survived the Ebola Virus Disease and discharged. The total cumulative number of confirmed death is 273 and the confirmed cases are 733. Health workers at the front-line say that when Ebola survivors leave the treatment centre, they are given the equivalent of about $10 in Leones for transport to get home, a clean set of clothes and a certificate of good health. Children are also given toys. Unfortunately if the recent allegation is true that a certain Musa Bangura has been taken money from distressed residents in Kenema to give them FAKE certificates that they are Ebola negative especially those who have shown no signs of the Ebola symptoms then that is the height of cruelty to humanity. The authorities should fully investigate such allegation because it has the potential to severely undermine the very little confidence left of the people of Kenema in the Government health facilities in the Ebola fight; a convoy of somehow no confidence which has largely surfaced out of myths and misconceptions. Also as part of his national call to join in the fight against the deadly virus, the Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio is also planning to embark on a massive sensitization tour to take the Ebola message to his people. We all hope that with the sensitization of Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio many of the myths and misconceptions around Ebola will be addressed by a man who is viewed by majority of the people in Kenema and Kailahun as their President-in-Waiting. So far the message of the Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio has been “EBOLA IS REAL. EBOLA KILLS. BUT IT CAN BE CONTROLLED” Below are pictures of some of the ebola survivors: Isata Konneh (35 years); Vandy Jaward (7 years) and a Nurse and her daughter, Fatmata Sesay and 11 year old Tata.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 08:59:42 +0000
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