EbolaMSF closes final West Africa Ebola projects for survivors
The Ebola outbreak that swept across West Africa infected more than 28,700 people and killed more than 11,300 men, women, and children. Whole families were ripped apart and communities were devastated by the disease, which saw schools close, economies grind to a halt and health systems collapse, leading to even greater loss of life. The shocking human toll of the outbreak was exacerbated by the painfully slow international response. More than two and a half years after the Ebola outbreak officially began, MSF is now closing its last projects in West Africa dedicated to caring for people who survived the disease.
The Ebola outbreak that swept across West Africa infected more than 28,700 people and killed more than 11,300 men, women, and children. Whole families were ripped apart and communities were devastated by the disease, which saw schools close, economies grind to a halt and health systems collapse, leading to even greater loss of life. The shocking human toll of the outbreak was exacerbated by the painfully slow international response.
“The suffering caused by the Ebola outbreak was immeasurable,” says Brice de le Vingne, operations director for MSF. “It has left an indelible mark on every MSF staff member who travelled to work in West Africa. For our staff from the region, the impact was even greater — they were living with the daily threat of the disease, while at work they faced the devastating reality of Ebola head on. But for those who were infected with the disease, and for their families, it was nothing short of hell.”
MSF says that those who survived Ebola often found the battle was not over – many faced significant medical and mental health problems. However, because there had never before been an outbreak of this magnitude, there was limited understanding of what assistance people would need to pick up the pieces.
“As the outbreak subsided, it became apparent that Ebola survivors and their families would need significant support,” says Petra Becker, MSF head of mission in Liberia. “The majority of survivors experienced physical disorders such as joint pain and neurological or ophthalmological problems. At the same time, many survivors, as well as their friends, family and caregivers, experienced significant mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, after being confronted so closely with death.”
MSF set up dedicated survivors’ clinics in the three worst-affected countries. The first opened in Monrovia, Liberia in January 2015 and provided more than 1,500 medical consultations before closing in August 2016. A second clinic in Conakry, Guinea, cared for 330 survivors and more than 350 of their relatives in the Coyah and Forécariah districts of the city. A similar clinic in Freetown, Sierra Leone provided mental and medical healthcare to more than 400 survivors and their families, organizing more than 450 individual and group sessions to provide psychological support.
