‘I work as a community health worker in our village,’ explains Isaac in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
He is a nurse and a father of three children. And now, he is also working to raise awareness in his church and community about Ebola and how to prevent it from spreading.
‘When Ebola first arrived, the population didn’t really understand what the virus was. Some people still refuse to believe that Ebola can kill,’ he says. ‘This misunderstanding has led to resistance within the community.’
In the course of his job, Isaac has witnessed sickness and deaths from the virus firsthand. He knows it can kill. He knows that people need vital information about prevention that could save their lives.
Stopping the spread of dangerous Ebola myths
‘We want people to understand that Ebola is indeed present in our area,’ he says. ‘At the beginning of the outbreak, the population lacked information about the disease. So, through training and guidance from the authorities, we began to raise awareness in the community.
‘At the hospital, patients were dying suddenly, which created fear. This fear discouraged people from going to the hospital. Even now, some residents are still afraid to seek medical care.
‘However, since receiving training on prevention measures, some people are beginning to understand the risks. And although the population didn’t previously follow Ebola prevention measures, thanks to awareness campaigns, we are now seeing gradual behavioural change. People are starting to adopt measures that help break the chain of transmission.’
