Ebola crisis: on the ground in Guinea

DW: What has been the public's response to the operation to stop the spread of Ebola?

Helena Humphrey: Everybody here knows why they are fighting against Ebola. When I have spoken to people in different villages, and I have asked them why they are fighting Ebola, they have all come back to me with convincing answers, but different answers. They said, to protect myself, to protect my family, and to protect you, people from western countries, so it does not spread further. They also said to make sure the economy does not suffer anymore than it currently is. For example, with flights being cancelled, travel agencies are being closed down. This means there are lower incomes and that people are going without that one meal a day that they bring to the table. Furthermore, someone who was working on a burial team said to me, "This epidemic creates distress, it causes division, and it causes death. Quite frankly, I cannot walk down the street in the same way anymore that I used to, I cannot see my friends anymore, and in Africa, that is how we greet each other, and we cannot do that anymore."

As the spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Ebola Response in West Africa, what's your impression, so far, of the response to the epidemic in Guinea?

My impression so far of the Red Cross Society of Guinea is one of really overwhelming admiration. Across the region, 4,000 volunteers have been trained to take part in activities involved in the Ebola response including the safe and dignified burials of people who have lost their lives to Ebola, the disinfection of houses, social support, the tracing and monitoring of contacts of Ebola patients, beneficiary communication, going door to door, house to house, village to village, to make sure that people do understand what the virus is, and how they can protect themselves and their loved ones. In Guinea itself, over 97 percent of burials have been managed by Red Cross volunteers.

What safety precautions do you have to take? How are you coping with the Ebola crisis?

The Ebola outbreak is really being treated as an absolute regime. For everybody here, from what can I see in the capital, Conakry, you cannot go anywhere without having to wash your hands in a solution of water, and having your temperature checked. For those who are on the frontline of the Ebola response involved in high-risk work, including burials to caring for people in treatment centers, they do not do anything without their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Do you have an example of how the cultural life of Guineans has been put on hold because of the Ebola epidemic?

Tabaski is the celebration of Eid al-Adha in Muslim countries across West Africa. When we talk about cultural practices, and how Ebola shakes the very foundations of traditions and cultures, Tabaski is a very good example. Tabaski is celebrated on October 4 in Guinea, and it is a fantastic time for everyone to greet each other, to come together, to enjoy the meal they prepare together. But this year, everyone I spoke to said they were really looking forward to it, but they could not shake hands or hug each other in the same way. When it came to communal prayer sites across the capital, Conakry, they were washing their hands first, but after the sermon had been delivered, they could not turn to each other for the usual embrace. We really have to try to educate people that it is for the love of each other, and out of respect for each other, that they just have to suspend some of the cultural practices whilst we fight Ebola.

Cultural barriers have been identified as a major problem in the fight to stop the spread of Ebola. Are these barriers being broken down in Guinea?

I think this is something that goes to the heart of the work of the Red Cross Society. We work with people from local communities who then go back into their villages, so they can talk to religious leaders and the elders, so that they can speak to families explaining why we do, what we do. Essentially, we have to manage burials, in a way perhaps that is without ceremony for the safety of the population, and that is something very difficult for people with strong religious or cultural beliefs to understand. In many communities in West Africa, it is often women who are responsible for washing and dressing the bodies of people who have died from Ebola. When people say, you cannot do that anymore, they also need explanations as to why they cannot do that anymore. Through social mobilization, the Red Cross has managed to reach 2.2 million people, to explain why. If I can put it in the words of Dr. Facely Diawara, the Head of Health Operations for the Guinea Red Cross, it's really important to get the message out there, that perhaps it is strange not to touch the bodies of loved ones during burial, but by protecting yourself and therefore, protecting your family, that in itself is an act of love.

Helena Humphrey is the spokesperson for IFRC Ebola Response in West Africa. She is currently based in the capital of Guinea, Conakry. Lucia Walton conducted the interview for DW.