Sierra Leone is one of the countries hardest hit by Ebola with the number of new cases rising exponentially. Among those dealing with the social consequences of this health tragedy is the Salesian Brother Lothar Wagner who works in Freetown as director of the children's organisation, Don Bosco Fambul and directly experiences on an everyday the horrors of the disease. In this interview with Politico he shares his experiences.
Politico: Brother Lothar, what's your experience amid the current situation in Sierra Leone?
Wagner: Frustrating, as far as international political aid is concerned. We could have avoided this ordeal if the West had reacted early and adequately. Up to now the only doctors and epidemic experts in the country are from China and Cuba who give us a lot of hope. The people are upset and simply frightened. Infected persons and suspect cases are stigmatised.
Politico: In which way has the situation evolved in the past months?
Wagner: In my opinion the situation was carelessly underrated in the beginning, later inexcusably ignored. What I have heard, there were traditional witchcraft rites and politically motivated accusations. All this is now culminating in a depressive despondency that has seized the people. We now hope that with international help we may win the battle against the epidemic so that a new beginning can start.
Politico: What is your assessment of the general mood in the country?
Wagner: It depends on the location. I have just returned from Port Loko where I visited an orphanage. It was put under quarantine due to the fact that somebody just visited the funeral of an Ebola victim. 39 children and employees were left to their own devices. Particularly in the rural areas stigmatisation, fear and sometimes belief in witchcraft prevail. In the capital of Freetown the population is better informed about the epidemic. Nevertheless fear prevails here, too – in and around the city everyone is particularly on the alert. “No body contact!” is a cry often heard in the streets.
Politico: Who do you think suffers most from the epidemic?
Wagner: Firstly, the sick people themselves, of course. But also all the suspect cases, people who are put under quarantine. All in all, these groups are met with hostility by the population. People under quarantine receive little food or other important aid. Due to our hotline and the emergency shelter we at Don Bosco Fambul are in close contact with the children and youths and witness their strokes of fate at firsthand. In doing so, we are really approaching our limits. Those suffering most are the children who saw their parents die and have ended up as full orphans, and the boys and girls who were infected but recovered and are now treated as outcast by their families. And then there are, of course, the helpers themselves. We have to be highly alert that all the safety precautions are complied with so that they do not experience a trauma themselves.
Politico: What does your typical day look like at the moment?
Wagner: Particularly important to me is the half-hour meditation in the morning –God and I alone. This is very intense and provides me with strength for the whole day. I put everything under the protection of Maria, the helper of Christians. This is no social romanticism but tangible assistance and safety in these difficult times. Many quick prayers during the day currently often replace my Liturgy of the Hours. Apart from that I am responsible for all the safety and security measures at our houses, the contacts with the government and our partners and the project management. Besides, crisis intervention is one of my daily duties.
Politico: What implications does the epidemic have for your work?
Wagner: Currently we are training all our staff intensely. More than ever we have to be keen observers. How do the children behave? Do they sleep on a bench or do they suffer with fever? We check their temperatures every three hours. The admission procedures to the homes take more time as we document the whole medical case history and record the surroundings the child has lived in, in the previous three weeks. So many orphans and affected children are being admitted. Moreover, the number of incoming calls at our crisis line has quadrupled.
Politico: How are you doing personally?
Wagner: Very good. As far as my health is concerned, that means physically and mentally, I do not have any complaints. It makes sense to be here on site at this moment, even if a lot seems to be senseless. But a lot is ambivalent in life and in faith. It is a good feeling to know that you are needed and that you may allay the fears of children and youths and make them feel safe.
Politico: How do you cope with personal fears?
Wagner: I am good at suppressing them (laughs). Fear only rises in me when there is a suspect case at our institution. This happened twice. In that case everything has to run smoothly. Immediate isolation, therapy and sending for the doctors. And when it takes some time until the child is being picked up, I am in great tension and tortured by questions, such as if we protect the other children and members of staff sufficiently from such cases. But we cannot close down now. There are lots of ethical dilemmas that we have to deal with.
Politico: What parts do God and your faith play in this situation?
Wagner: Without God and my relationship with Him I would definitely not be here. Or I would hide in my office and do logistics on the computer to soothe my conscience. Never in my life have I been so content with my fate to live here and now. Yes, I am happy. The daily encounters with the children and youths are for me encounters with Christ. I am standing at the Way of the Cross of our times, offering the cloth of St. Veronica, helping to carry the Cross. Now it is the children who update the historical Christ for me in my life. Through them and through Christ I know that my life will not end with the crucifixion but that we live to celebrate Easter.
Politico: What would you like to tell the Western World?
Wagner: There is great sympathy among the population, even global solidarity. This provides me with the strength to continue. 5,000 soldiers and civilians have volunteered in Germany alone. That is incredibly awesome! Now the German government must immediately give these volunteers the opportunity to help here on site. It simply takes too much time and the Western governments continue to hesitate. I appeal to you: Send mobile hospitals with at least 5,000 beds, laboratories, epidemic experts as well as doctors and nurses. Now is the time to impede a global epidemic.
© Politico 28/10/14
