Resurgence of the Ebola disease in Guinea: "Behind it, violence"
Nursing staff in full coveralls at the Nzérékoré epidemic treatment center.
© RFI / Carol Valade
Text by: Carol Valade Follow
6 mins
While the world's eyes are on the Covid-19 pandemic, Guinea is in the throes of a resurgence of the Ebola virus, nearly 5 years after the end of the deadliest epidemic that claimed the lives of more than 11,300 people in West Africa.
In the forest region in the south of the country, at least 9 people have died out of around 20 cases detected.
The authorities have given themselves 6 weeks to overcome the disease, but this requires overcoming the reluctance of the population and the fear aroused on all sides by hemorrhagic fever.
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The airstrip is barely visible in the middle of the forest.
The small propeller plane begins its descent on
Nzérékoré
with the first 800 doses of the Ebola vaccine on board.
This is the end of a long journey and a race against time: the vaccine can be kept for 5 days at -80 ° C.
As soon as he landed, he was taken to Gouecké, the epicenter of the epidemic.
A small loudspeaker, colorful plastic chairs, the ceremony goes off without a hitch, but behind the scenes, the Minister of Health has been legislating for two days to overcome reluctance: “
This vaccine is not poison!
Those who tell you not to take it want there to be deaths!
He says, visibly angry, to the assembly.
"
There is a total lack of confidence in the political and health authorities
," analyzes Frédéric Le Marcis, anthropologist at the Research Institute for Development, deployed in the area as soon as the reappearance of the virus was announced.
"
This is not an African specificity
, notes Dr Ibrahima Camara, epidemiologist at CERFIG *.
In Europe, conspiracy theories have also developed thanks to the Covid-19 epidemic
.
"
The inhabitants of Forest Guinea view with suspicion the politicians who only cover the 900 km (at least two days of travel due to the bad state of the roads) which separate their region from the capital only on the occasion of tragedies or electoral deadlines.
“Ebola business”, we whisper as we watch the 4x4s of international NGOs pass by.
We retain from the previous epidemic that only a minority will benefit from this windfall and that very few will remain, once the aid workers have left.
Fear creeps in
In the meantime, the prefect rolls up his sleeve to set an example, but does not seem very reassured.
“
This is something new,
” explains Dr Abourahamane Diallo, WHO vaccination coordinator.
"
I
t must allow people time to observe the first vaccinated are doing well
.
"
The campaign, which targets only direct or indirect contact with patients, seems to be getting off to a good start, with even a certain enthusiasm.
But 10 days later, the day after a visit from a WHO delegation, the brand new tents of the isolation center were set on fire by a group of young people.
Fear creeps in, the actors of the response have in mind the memory of Womey, where 8 members of an awareness-raising mission were massacred and their bodies hidden in a septic tank.
It was 10km away, in September 2014. “
Ebola is a disease that has violence behind it
,” comments Christophe Milimono, one of the only survivors.
When you die of it, your body is taken where no parent can see it, your belongings are gathered and burned, your family is singled out.
"
Passage through the disinfection chamber for a member of the nursing staff at the Nzérékoré epidemic treatment center.
© RFI / Carol Valade
Added to this is the discourse incriminating the consumption of bushmeat as the origin of the epidemic.
“
This is only one of the many hypotheses considered
, underlines Frédéric Le Marcis,
everyone consumes it here, but only one family has fallen ill.
We must remain cautious, because this stereotype targeting the inhabitants of Forest Guinea fuels a feeling of stigmatization
.
"
The death of a health worker sounds the alarm
"
If you come from Gouecké, people are afraid and reject you, the contact is not like before
», Regrets Father Gabriel Lamah, vicar of the city where patients have deserted the health center, despite its modern buildings and the jovial portrait of Minister Remy Lamah which adorns its storefront.
Usually full on market days, today it only takes in one patient, too ill to go elsewhere for treatment.
Here worked
"Mama Lucie", a 51-year-old nurse
, the first known death of the resurgence.
As in the previous epidemic, which appeared in the same region at the same time of year, the death of a health worker sounds the alarm.
Research teams are hard at work, but the mystery that still surrounds the origin of the transmission of the virus is also fueling fear.
In 2014, an Ebola patient cared for at the Nzérékoré Epidemic Treatment Center (CTEPI) had only one chance in four of getting out.
"
Today, thanks to the antibody-based treatment which has already proved its worth in the DRC, the mortality rate has greatly reduced
".
Doctor Dally Muamba from the NGO Alima who manages the center wants to be reassuring despite the worrying full suits worn by his teams.
As the day fades over the small orange houses, half a dozen men load a body aboard a Red Cross pickup with colors washed out by chlorine.
They have the black eyes of those who do the dirty work.
For suspected cases who die outside the center, they must face the fears and reluctance of families to proceed with a safe burial and have a sample taken, failing which the disease will continue to spread.
*
Guinea Infectious Disease Research and Training Center
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