More than 8,500 people have died
since the Ebola outbreak began last year. While the pandemic has
slowed, it has left lasting scars on many countries, especially in West
Africa, and those affected by the disease.
Rebecca Johnson worked as a nurse treating Ebola patients in Sierra
Leone before contracting the virus herself. She teamed up with the World
Health Organization (WHO) to hold a Q&A session about her
experience on Twitter. Johnson went into heart-wrenching detail about the toll the disease took
on her body and mind. She also offered insight into underreported
aspects of Ebola, such as its effects on mental health, recounting how
close friends and even some family members turned their backs on her
after her diagnosis.
Earlier this week, Johnson delivered moving testimony
at a special session on Ebola at WHO headquarters in Geneva. She said
she wanted people to know “Ebola is not the end of the world, and it can
be beaten.”
"I was unable to do basic things at a point in time, like, for
example, walking, eating and talking, but I had to relearn doing them
all through the help of my colleagues at the treatment center before I
was discharged. I became blind during this phase of the Ebola disease,
but I recovered my sight before discharge," Johnson said. "There was a
point in time I almost lost my life."
"Even though there is no certain cure for Ebola, early treatment is your best chance at survival.”
No comments:
Post a Comment