Although the Ebola epidemic in Liberia peaked two years ago,
survivors are still feeling the emotional impact of a virus that ravaged their
country. More than 4,800 people died in 2014 and 2015, and in March of 2016, it
was estimated that 1 in 5 Liberians suffered from some sort of mental illness.
PTSD and depression are most common, although other types of illness are also
present in communities. Medecins Sans Frontiers psychologist Frederic Gelly
remarked “[citizens] continue to suffer from an extreme sense of guilt – for
being the first in their family to catch Ebola and spread it to others, or for
being the only one who survived. Two years later, they ask themselves over and
over again: ‘Why did I survive and others die?”
There are several factors that play into the psychological
impact of the disease, apart from the severity of the epidemic. One major contributor is the interruption of
religious rites around death and dying. In response to the Ebola crisis, the
government had to put strict regulations on death and burial or cremation
rites. As a result, many people felt that they could not properly honor their
loved ones. Another is the stigma of mental illness in Liberia. Until recently,
mental health services were hugely under resourced in the country. Many physicians did not know how to care for
patients suffering from mental illness, and community members did not know how
to support those with PTSD or depression. Finally, many people in Liberia also
remember the civil war that ended in 2003, and historical trauma of poverty and
violence. The Ebola outbreak brought back bad memories for many Liberians, and
reminded them of harsh realities.
Although the situation in Liberia is challenging to tackle,
WHO has made an effort to increase the number of mental health workers, and to
train 1,300 people in a weeklong intensive course by the end of 2016. They are
confident that this will begin to make an impact, especially as they work to
reduce the stigma of emotional trauma in the country.
Elisa Hofmeister -18
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