Courage of the Ebola survivors gives hope

Ebola survivors in the fight against the plague

05/11/2014

The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is associated with tens of thousands of severe blows of fate, with the children in many cases being hit particularly hard. Some were suddenly orphaned or out of family due to an infection. All the more important is appropriate care and medical care. Here, surviving Ebola patients who are immune to the virus after surviving infection, according to news agency „dpa“ in many institutions special help.

In special care and hospital wards, children are taken in whose relatives have already become infected with Ebola and may also be infected. The „dpa“ reports on such a special kindergarten in close proximity to the Ebola treatment center in the city of Guéckédou in southeastern Guinea. The children housed here were separated from their infected relatives and may even carry the virus themselves. Not infrequently, her parents have died as a result of Ebola infection. The children are cared for by 40-year-old Sabinetou Kamano, who had already been infected with the virus months before and survived the subsequent illness „dpa“. Your body has developed antibodies that make it immune to the virus. She can approach the children without running the risk of getting Ebola again.

Care for the children of Ebola patients
The children in the special kindergarten all suffered heavy fates and were housed here because they can nowhere be taken in and taken care of. Her parents have already died of Ebola or are being treated for an infection in the neighboring hospital. And the other relatives often refuse admission because they fear the child could transmit the pathogens. The reports of the news agency „dpa“ According to the equipment in the special kindergarten is rather sparse. Bring some plastic chairs, some toys, a folding table and a gas cooker to the water. But rather than material things, the traumatized children lack affection, closeness and security. Sabinetou Kamano and her four colleagues, who have already overcome an Ebola infection, are trying to offer them to the little ones. You have decided to, „to look after those children who would otherwise fall through the already large gaps in the health and welfare system of Guinea“, so the message of „dpa“.

Ebola survivors as volunteers
Given the scale of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa and the significant overburdening of national health systems in the affected states of Guinea Sierra Leone and Liberia, voluntary help is urgently needed everywhere. This applies both to international assistants and to volunteers on site. Many Ebola survivors have recognized this and make their contribution wherever they can. The 40-year-old Sabinetou Kamano and her colleagues have provided themselves for the care in the special kindergarten. They themselves, as former Ebola patients, have had difficult times in which not only the disease, but also discrimination and exclusion due to the infection have bothered them. „When I was admitted to the clinic, I thought that I would never come out there again“, quotes the „dpa“ the 33-year-old Therese Feindouno, who also works in the kindergarten today. „I was so relieved after my healing, so thankful that I wanted to share that hope with others“, reports the Ebola survivors.

Children of those infected with Ebola go through heavy fates
Due to their immunity, the caregivers can approach the children safely and give them the necessary physical proximity. There is no risk to them when they pick up the little ones or play with them. „I treat them like my own children“, quotes the „dpa“ Sabinetou Kamano. Such a bit of normality returns to the torn world of children. But this can hardly be helped by the traumatic experiences. So the news agency reports „dpa“ for example, the case of the three-year-old Dama, who came to the infirmary just a few days ago with his mother. Although the small did not show any symptoms of infection, Ebola was found in his mother. The two were then separated to protect the boy from infection. While the mother is in the treatment center, the little one has since been housed in the special kindergarten - surrounded by other children and strange women who are doing their utmost to protect the injured child's soul from further harm. Similarly difficult is the fate of the 18-month-old Yawa, whose mother died recently of Ebola and whose father wants to know nothing more about her because he is the girl for „infested“ holds, so the announcement of the „dpa“.

Survivors use their immunity for special help
The desire to help is extremely pronounced in many Ebola survivors. One of the first survivors of the epidemic in Guinea, the nurse Saa Sabas Temessadouno, reports „dpa“. After receiving care for an infected person, the 48-year-old fell ill in April and fought for almost two weeks. „I could not eat anything. I was bleeding, I saw other people die. I was terrified“, the news agency quotes the survivors. Finally, the fever had returned and five days later Temessadouno was able to leave the infirmary as cured. Since then he is immune to the deadly virus. A special gift that Temessadouno uses together with others to provide special help. He initiated according to the announcement of „dpa“ an association of Ebola survivors, now around 50 people, and engaged in many ways in the fight against Ebola.

Make hope and courage
The Ebola survivors are available for a variety of services to help them with their immunity and / or experience of the disease they are living through. For example, they accompany people suspected of having an infection to the nearest hospital, make themselves available for the care of the infected or inform the public at events and on the radio about the disease. „We act as examples to show people that Ebola can survive and that survivors are not contagious“, is Temessadouno of the „dpa“ cited. Ebola survivor Djanko Traore has also opted for voluntary aid in the capital of Guinea, according to the news agency. The 26-year-old student takes care of the patients at the Ebola treatment center, where he himself was cured. Since his healing, he experiences much more intense every day now. „I know from personal experience how it feels and how to overcome it. I want to give hope and courage“, the news agency quotes the volunteer helper. (Fp)