Response to Ebola
As I have spent time these past three weeks sharing about my time in Sierra Leone, many people have asked me questions pertaining to Ebola. So, I figured I would share some of my thoughts about it. These are just my own thoughts, so I may be wrong and you may not agree with everything I have to say.
I knew nothing about Ebola before it became a threat to Sierra Leone, but I was fortunate enough to learn a lot about it while in Kabala. I did not learn about it through my own research, but from people in the community educating others. Along with learning about Ebola, we were given tools to educate others about it. As teachers, we had many opportunities in the classroom and at parent meetings to educate those about the symptoms of Ebola, what to do if you have symptoms, and how to prevent it.
It felt like everywhere I went, there was always talk about Ebola. It was constantly on the radio, posters and diagrams were plastered around the city, and there were constant discussions about it. Those with an education and those without were aware of what was going on in the country about the Ebola outbreak.
It has now become not only a West African emergency but an international emergency because it has been spreading so quickly and the situation is not under control. Many people have said it is because people are not educated and that is why it is spreading so quickly. I would have to partially disagree with that statement. I feel that in my own community, Kabala, people are adequately educated about it. People are aware of the symptoms and what to do if they experience them. Even though people are educated about it, many are choosing to go against what health care workers are telling them to do for different reasons.
Many people, especially those who are not educated and who are from more rural areas, are extremely hesitant to go to the clinics/hospitals or see doctors or nurses. Its hard for us to put ourselves in their shoes, because we have grown up surrounded by health care facilities and everyone knows here that if you are seriously sick, you go see a doctor. But, if you have never seen a clinic, and you go in and see machines that show you your baby inside your belly, I think I would be pretty skeptical too. Or if you go in and see nurses dressed as aliens with different protective wear covering their whole body, getting ready to draw your blood with a needle, I would be afraid.
People are also extremely afraid of isolation. There is this idea that after your test results come back positive that you have Ebola, you are going to be completely alone. If you do not recover, you will be completely alone until you pass away. But if you recover, many people are still going to avoid you because you had Ebola. There is a chance you can recover if you report yourself quick enough after seeing symptoms. According to the CDC, the death rate in this outbreak is 55% - 60%. I am not going to lie, if a friend of mine had Ebola, I would probably avoid them for some time until I knew that they were 100% better. When society in Sierra Leone is based on community, conversation, story telling, and just being around people, this idea can be scary to many people. Some people would rather stay at home sick with their family then be completely isolated.
While I was in Sierra Leone, there were many problems with people being diagnosed with Ebola at the hospital, but then they would escape. One reason could be because of isolation, but it could also have to do with traditional/religious beliefs. In the Muslim tradition, it is extremely important to wash the body of a person that has died. But, unfortunately, if a person dies with the Ebola disease, it can still be spread, so the hospitals do not allow for the traditional burial ceremonies. The hospital will take care of the body and disinfect it to prevent any further spread of the disease. Unfortunately, because of the strong belief in these traditions, many people do not want their family member to die in the hospital.
Another issue that makes things complicated is the idea that Ebola or sickness in general is an evil spirit. I have spoken with some people in the church that have told me that if we continue to pray and ask that the Holy Spirit be with us, we will not get Ebola. Whether we are a Christian or a Muslim, we can still pray that God will protect us and keep us healthy. But, sickness is not always a spiritual battle. Yes, it can be sometimes. I have seen it happen. But, I have seen many strong Christians suffer from disease and eventually pass away. Just because we are Christians, does not mean that we are going to be safe from any sickness. I am not disregarding the power of prayer, because God can truly perform miracles, but we also need to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Ebola.
If you believe that sickness is an evil spirit, some people might resort to going to traditional healers or witch doctors for healing, instead of the hospital or clinic. If people believe it is a spirit, others might also believe that they do not need to follow the procedures given to prevent the spread of Ebola.
I called a good friend in Kabala a few days back and told her that I had heard on the news here in the U.S that the top doctor on the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone had just passed away. She told me that no one believed it in Kabala. Its interesting how the news has the whole U.S believing that this doctor died, which I believe he died, but there are people in his own country that don't believe he died.
The government has put efforts in place to prevent the continued spread of Ebola. People are not allowed in or out of Kabala this week and hopefully for the next few weeks. Health officials are checking people for symptoms at different police check points. Monday, August 4th, was a national stay at home day to pray and educated ourselves about the Ebola virus. All social gatherings have been stopped/closed inside of Kabala such as clubs and bars. Summer school has been canceled for all school districts.
Unfortunately, with many of these restraints put on the country to prevent the spread, it also has a lot of negative effects. As I was leaving, there were many people not traveling to Sierra Leone because of the outbreak. I was talking to the doctor at one clinic in Kabala who said they depend on missions teams coming each summer to bring in supplies and to continue to make the clinic stronger. But this summer, not one missions team is coming from the States because of the outbreak. Many foreign investors have pulled out of the country, and those who were looking at investing in the country, might be more fearful than before. The outbreak unfortunately has put a bad light on Sierra Leone. Many foreigners working in Sierra Leone have been pulled out of the country because of the outbreak.
It has also affected the local economy significantly. I know many people in Kabala who are traders. They often travel to the Guinea border to buy things at a cheaper price, and come and sell them in Kabala at a higher price. What happens to their business as they are not allowed to leave the district? What about the fish that is imported every day to Kabala so that people get meat in their diet? What about all the taxi drivers who rely on people traveling from place to place to make a living? Many people in Sierra Leone do not have an emergency fund for when emergencies like this happen. Many people are not able to save money and so when their means of making money is taken away, it will create many financial challenges.
I sometimes spend my vacations at a beautiful little beach called River #2. But it is an eco-tourism resort that provides jobs, solar power, running water, and many more opportunities for the whole village. They cater largely to tourists and expatriates who work in Sierra Leone. For them, the Ebola outbreak will effect them greatly in their business, not just while Ebola is in Sierra Leone, but also in the months or even years.
Please continue to pray for West Africa as the Ebola outbreak continues to worsen and for protection for Koinadugu District that it would not spread there. Please also pray that the Ebola situation would not keep foreign investors, tourists, and other expatriates fearful of coming back to Sierra Leone to continue to build the economy stronger. I hope and pray that we can learn from this outbreak and that this would encourage the leaders of the country to build a stronger infrastructure to continue to develop the country.
I knew nothing about Ebola before it became a threat to Sierra Leone, but I was fortunate enough to learn a lot about it while in Kabala. I did not learn about it through my own research, but from people in the community educating others. Along with learning about Ebola, we were given tools to educate others about it. As teachers, we had many opportunities in the classroom and at parent meetings to educate those about the symptoms of Ebola, what to do if you have symptoms, and how to prevent it.
It felt like everywhere I went, there was always talk about Ebola. It was constantly on the radio, posters and diagrams were plastered around the city, and there were constant discussions about it. Those with an education and those without were aware of what was going on in the country about the Ebola outbreak.
It has now become not only a West African emergency but an international emergency because it has been spreading so quickly and the situation is not under control. Many people have said it is because people are not educated and that is why it is spreading so quickly. I would have to partially disagree with that statement. I feel that in my own community, Kabala, people are adequately educated about it. People are aware of the symptoms and what to do if they experience them. Even though people are educated about it, many are choosing to go against what health care workers are telling them to do for different reasons.
Many people, especially those who are not educated and who are from more rural areas, are extremely hesitant to go to the clinics/hospitals or see doctors or nurses. Its hard for us to put ourselves in their shoes, because we have grown up surrounded by health care facilities and everyone knows here that if you are seriously sick, you go see a doctor. But, if you have never seen a clinic, and you go in and see machines that show you your baby inside your belly, I think I would be pretty skeptical too. Or if you go in and see nurses dressed as aliens with different protective wear covering their whole body, getting ready to draw your blood with a needle, I would be afraid.
People are also extremely afraid of isolation. There is this idea that after your test results come back positive that you have Ebola, you are going to be completely alone. If you do not recover, you will be completely alone until you pass away. But if you recover, many people are still going to avoid you because you had Ebola. There is a chance you can recover if you report yourself quick enough after seeing symptoms. According to the CDC, the death rate in this outbreak is 55% - 60%. I am not going to lie, if a friend of mine had Ebola, I would probably avoid them for some time until I knew that they were 100% better. When society in Sierra Leone is based on community, conversation, story telling, and just being around people, this idea can be scary to many people. Some people would rather stay at home sick with their family then be completely isolated.
While I was in Sierra Leone, there were many problems with people being diagnosed with Ebola at the hospital, but then they would escape. One reason could be because of isolation, but it could also have to do with traditional/religious beliefs. In the Muslim tradition, it is extremely important to wash the body of a person that has died. But, unfortunately, if a person dies with the Ebola disease, it can still be spread, so the hospitals do not allow for the traditional burial ceremonies. The hospital will take care of the body and disinfect it to prevent any further spread of the disease. Unfortunately, because of the strong belief in these traditions, many people do not want their family member to die in the hospital.
Another issue that makes things complicated is the idea that Ebola or sickness in general is an evil spirit. I have spoken with some people in the church that have told me that if we continue to pray and ask that the Holy Spirit be with us, we will not get Ebola. Whether we are a Christian or a Muslim, we can still pray that God will protect us and keep us healthy. But, sickness is not always a spiritual battle. Yes, it can be sometimes. I have seen it happen. But, I have seen many strong Christians suffer from disease and eventually pass away. Just because we are Christians, does not mean that we are going to be safe from any sickness. I am not disregarding the power of prayer, because God can truly perform miracles, but we also need to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Ebola.
If you believe that sickness is an evil spirit, some people might resort to going to traditional healers or witch doctors for healing, instead of the hospital or clinic. If people believe it is a spirit, others might also believe that they do not need to follow the procedures given to prevent the spread of Ebola.
I called a good friend in Kabala a few days back and told her that I had heard on the news here in the U.S that the top doctor on the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone had just passed away. She told me that no one believed it in Kabala. Its interesting how the news has the whole U.S believing that this doctor died, which I believe he died, but there are people in his own country that don't believe he died.
The government has put efforts in place to prevent the continued spread of Ebola. People are not allowed in or out of Kabala this week and hopefully for the next few weeks. Health officials are checking people for symptoms at different police check points. Monday, August 4th, was a national stay at home day to pray and educated ourselves about the Ebola virus. All social gatherings have been stopped/closed inside of Kabala such as clubs and bars. Summer school has been canceled for all school districts.
Unfortunately, with many of these restraints put on the country to prevent the spread, it also has a lot of negative effects. As I was leaving, there were many people not traveling to Sierra Leone because of the outbreak. I was talking to the doctor at one clinic in Kabala who said they depend on missions teams coming each summer to bring in supplies and to continue to make the clinic stronger. But this summer, not one missions team is coming from the States because of the outbreak. Many foreign investors have pulled out of the country, and those who were looking at investing in the country, might be more fearful than before. The outbreak unfortunately has put a bad light on Sierra Leone. Many foreigners working in Sierra Leone have been pulled out of the country because of the outbreak.
It has also affected the local economy significantly. I know many people in Kabala who are traders. They often travel to the Guinea border to buy things at a cheaper price, and come and sell them in Kabala at a higher price. What happens to their business as they are not allowed to leave the district? What about the fish that is imported every day to Kabala so that people get meat in their diet? What about all the taxi drivers who rely on people traveling from place to place to make a living? Many people in Sierra Leone do not have an emergency fund for when emergencies like this happen. Many people are not able to save money and so when their means of making money is taken away, it will create many financial challenges.
I sometimes spend my vacations at a beautiful little beach called River #2. But it is an eco-tourism resort that provides jobs, solar power, running water, and many more opportunities for the whole village. They cater largely to tourists and expatriates who work in Sierra Leone. For them, the Ebola outbreak will effect them greatly in their business, not just while Ebola is in Sierra Leone, but also in the months or even years.
Please continue to pray for West Africa as the Ebola outbreak continues to worsen and for protection for Koinadugu District that it would not spread there. Please also pray that the Ebola situation would not keep foreign investors, tourists, and other expatriates fearful of coming back to Sierra Leone to continue to build the economy stronger. I hope and pray that we can learn from this outbreak and that this would encourage the leaders of the country to build a stronger infrastructure to continue to develop the country.
Thank you, Sarah. This perspective is helpful in our understanding how the locals are affected.
ReplyDelete