Success Story on Overcoming the Fear of Ebola

The project, implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. in collaboration with FHI 360 and International Medical Corps, focused on reducing stigma through various interventions. Community leaders, including survivors, health workers, and community and religious leaders, were trained in stigma reduction. These leaders, numbering 149, were equipped to raise awareness about the importance of accepting Ebola survivors. Through sensitization campaigns and meetings with influential people in the community, they educated almost 26,000 people about the need to accept survivors. The training emphasized that stigma is not only related to identifying people as survivors but also incorporates shame and other aspects. The project also provided a three-day training to improve the skills of 116 health care providers in Ebola survivor care, including guidance on stigmatization reduction. Additionally, the project supported the national survivors' association, RENASEG, which works to end stigmatization of Ebola survivors. Members of RENASEG, who are survivors themselves, traveled to various regions to educate community leaders and the population on the acceptance of Ebola survivors. The project's efforts have started to counteract the negative perceptions of Ebola survivors and reduce the lingering fear of the virus. A survey conducted in 2018 found that 4.4 percent of surveyed Ebola survivors reported experiencing some form of stigma, compared to 13.7 percent in 2017. The reduction in stigma has facilitated the reintegration of survivors into their communities, enabling them to regain their livelihoods and social connections. Reducing stigma has also increased survivors' access to healthcare and psychosocial services. The sentinel site approach, which involves community leaders and health workers working together to address issues related to survivors, has been instrumental in reducing stigma. In Maferinyah, the sentinel site committee, led by M’mah Condé, a former teacher, meets every Friday to educate the community about Ebola survivors and reduce stigma. The committee's efforts have been successful in changing the community's perception of survivors, with Patrice Goumou, deputy director of Maferinyah Health Center, noting that there is now less discrimination against survivors. The project's success in reducing stigma has been significant, with almost 26,000 people reached through sensitization campaigns and meetings. The training of community leaders and health care providers has also contributed to the reduction in stigma. The project's efforts have facilitated the reintegration of Ebola survivors into their communities, enabling them to regain their livelihoods and social connections.