Sierra Leone Ebola is followed by hunger

After the Ebola epidemic threatens a famine

05/03/2015

Although the Ebola epidemic is declining overall in West Africa, the affected countries are now being threatened by the consequences of the epidemic. Above all, hunger is a significant problem, according to a report by the Children's Fund Plan International. Nearly every second person in Sierra Leone is starving, reports the news agency „dpa“.

In the growing hunger problem, according to the experts, one of the reasons for the spread of Ebola. For example, a young man from the relief organization Plan International reported that he had fled the quarantine several times because he needed something to eat. The quarantine applies to all infected and contact persons from their immediate environment. For the duration of the incubation period (21 days), those affected are isolated. As a result, social and economic life in individual regions almost came to a standstill in the face of multiple infections, with children in particular being hit by the consequences. The security of the family has broken down, they are starving and more forced to do forced labor or prostitution, according to Plan International.

11,500 infections in Sierra Leone
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Sierra Leone has recorded nearly 11,500 Ebola infections in the current epidemic, with 3,546 people officially dying from the infection. The country, which was heavily damaged by years of civil war, was again thrown back by the Ebola epidemic - with catastrophic consequences for the population. The lack of food causes hunger and massive malnutrition of millions of people.

Initiate economic and social upswing
„We must take measures to facilitate economic and social recovery“, becomes President Ernest Bai Koroma of the news agency „dpa“ quoted on the way out of the crisis. First, as a first step, a reduction in new Ebola infections by mid-April to zero should be achieved. The urgent need for Sierra Leone's positive development is underscored by the UN Human Development Index, which ranks 183th out of 195 places.

Malnutrition in Sierra Leone is a massive problem
The news agency „dpa“ According to the report, hardly any country in the world is affected by such severe malnutrition as in Sierra Leone. By May 2014, the World Food Program would provide more than 1.4 million people with food in Sierra Leone. But to avoid the hunger problem, this is not enough. Furthermore, millions of people are not enough food available. (Fp)