I seriously didn’t expect this to be my first OP-ED for the year. I wrote one about love that I can’t wait to share with you, but this one is important at this point and the reason is simple: this is about survival, we have to be alive and well first before being able to do anything else – including reading the love piece I just told you about *smiles*.
A few days ago, we woke up to some troubling news from our neighbouring counterpart Guinea about a second outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus. At the time of the writing of this piece, there are seven cases and at least three deaths. The largest Ebola outbreak to date started in Guinea in 2014 and continued up to 2016, spreading in Liberia and Sierra Leone. More than 28,000 people were infected and more than 11,000 lives were lost.
Take a deep breath. These numbers are scary, but there is actually no need to panic. As contradicting as the last sentence sounds, I don’t think we should panic because it would solve nothing. Fear robs you off the opportunity to figure your way into or out of a situation. Over the next few days, we will be faced with suspicions, speculations, politics, blame-shifting, cynicism, etc. for different reasons, and I think trying to delve into these reasons is as pointless as being afraid. Prevention, they say, is better than cure. I think prevention is also better than the unnecessary tattles and unfounded stories typically spewed during these times.
In the coming weeks, we will need to hold together. We will need to do away with trying to score political or tribal points while focusing on saving our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Firstly and most importantly, we are all humans, then Liberians, before our tribes, beliefs and affiliations. I cannot overemphasize the importance of unity. We have to create our circle of safety where trust can exist despite our differences. We all have a responsibility, from those in authority to the street sellers and shoe-shiners. The first step to solving a problem is acknowledging the existence of the problem. Our country was affected hugely during the first outbreak, not necessarily because we are so illiterate, not necessarily because we don’t know how to wash our hands or follow the health procedures, but because too many of us thought and said “the Government is trying to get some money and enrich themselves”, “there is no sickness here”, “how sickness will enter bat that is flying way up there and besides, heat can kill any sickness so once I boil my meat, nothing can happen.” We chose to live by all kinds of uncalled for remarks when we could have just followed the instructions. No one is ever affected or hurt because they took precaution(s). I do agree that we deserve to know the truth and that speculations will always exist but at whose expense?
We have a chance to do something while we still can, to make it right this time, to prevent this virus from crossing over to us or curbing it when it crosses over. Our leaders need to provide us with the right information. There is no need to save face or whatsoever. It is a problem, you didn’t bring it on us. We all have to work together. We can’t effectively achieve anything if you withhold or alter some of the information you get. We too need to trust those in authority. We need to stop coming up with theories that undermine the work of our health workers and those in charge of information dissimilation. There are some things that we should fight together as a people; one of them is definitely US versus an epidemic. Politics, tribal beliefs and differences, clout chasing, etc. should not interfere in our quest for survival.
We can survive whatever comes our way if we believe we can and if we hold together. Can we start to practice the routine from the Ebola crisis? Yes, we can. Wash your hands frequently and properly. Avoid sick and infected people. Go to the hospital anytime you have a headache, fever, pain, diarrhea, red eyes rash and when you are vomiting. Encourage people to seek medical help. Stay away from dead bodies of unknown causes. Avoid contact with wild animals, like bats and monkeys, and their meat. Encourage people to do these things too and discourage people who try to talk down the importance of these things. We have survived worse and we can always survive whatever is thrown at us, but only together and with caution.
Authored by Jay Hoff
Featured Picture by Genetic Library Project
