AFRICA/LIBERIA - Ebola, not only death and suffering: MSF celebrates the thousandth survivor

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Foya (Agenzia Fides) - Since the beginning of the Ebola outbreak in west Africa, MSF has admitted more than 4,500 patients to its care centres. Among these, more than 2,700 were confirmed as having Ebola. Amidst all the loss and suffering, there are several stories of survival. According to a statement sent to Fides by MSF, yesterday the center in Foya celebrated the one thousandth survivor among all patients treated in the projects in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia since last March, when the organization began to respond to the emergency in West Africa.
The boy's father works as a health officer for MSF, visiting villages and sensitizing the population about the virus. After losing his wife, two daughters and a brother to the killer disease, the only survivor was the eldest of his sons, aged 18, who lived in Monrovia and showed no symptoms of the disease. When the boy arrived in Foya, the people turned him away. Father and son had to move. According to the father’s story, reported by MSF, the day after the boy looked more tired than usual. He was then admitted to a treatment center in Foya and was confirmed as having Ebola. After receiving treatment, the boy began to feel much better. Currently there are about 3000 MSF operators working in the region, including 250 international operators. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 22/10/2014)


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