‘Traditional medicines couldn’t stop the deadly virus from killing 50 people – a third of the population – in Kumala, ManMansaray’s small village in the north. “I used to believe that Ebola was something that can be cured by our herbalists here,” said Mansaray, 50, a farmer. “But when I saw what Ebola did in Kumala village … I changed my thought all together.” He said the victims included one of the herbalists and his wife, a secret society chief.
‘Secret societies that preserve ancient African traditions have been a pillar of Sierra Leone’s culture, but are losing credibility because doctors have convinced people like Mansaray that modern medicine, not ancient rites, will conquer Ebola.
‘The shift is a one example of how the Ebola has changed Sierra Leone, which continues to record new cases – five in the week through Sept. 13, according to the World Health Organization…
‘People don’t shake hands, they avoid large gatherings, refrain from sex if a partner might have come in contact with the virus and obsessively wash their hands at public sanitation stations as part of a national campaign to fight Ebola.
‘Abandoning traditional African beliefs about healing methods could be the most radical social shift wrought by the virus.’
Read full text online:
—
Let’s build a future where people are no longer dying for lack of healthcare knowledge – Join HIFA: www.hifa2015.org
AfroPHC 