By Ezekiel Nabieu
Ebola is a damning blot on our escutcheon. Even with feeble feet and tattered boots it should be kicked out of our territory in the shortest possible time. Every kick contributes to the total elimination of Ebola.
A philosophic look at the issue in addition to the merely mundane cannot be out of place. The chistling of Miatta Kargbo is in place. She was clearly out of her depth. Let’s have round pegs in round holes. Which brings me to the use of technocracy with regards to our governance issues. In the British system of governance which we have largely copied politicians are usually appointed first as junior ministers with a few exceptions for brilliant people. That way they understudy their senior ministers thereby gaining some degree of expertise. Not so in developing countries where nepotism prevails. As a result of abusing the system things get awry. A politicised system.
WHY EBOLA WILL LINGER
There are several reasons why Ebola will not bid us goodbye in a hurry. These reasons mainly have to do with the enforcement of pre-Ebola and Ebola regulations. Mention of a few of these reasons for Ebola persistence will do.
Barbing shops and Hair-dressing Salons
These are some of the places where touching of customers is the nitty-gritty of the profession. Owners of these enterprises would do well to enforce the washing of hands and the use of gloves properly.
Bush Meat
It’s no news that majority of citizens live in inland areas and that their main source of proteins is bush meat including meat of monkeys known as spring mutton. It is not going to be easy to wean them away from their livelihood without a quid pro quo. It's going to be herculean.
Political Meetings
Unlike congregational meetings of religious bodies it would appear that mass, monster, gigantic meetings are being held by politicians because they deem themselves to be above the law thus helping in the spread of the scourge inadvertently. This is one exception that is dangerous. It should cease.
Transportation
If we are not careful the transport sector is where we are going to be laden with the fastest spreading incidence of Ebola. Up until now there has been an unimaginable congestion and scrambling for transport by passengers. Sleeveless perspiring women keep greasing against others. We only hope that the reduction of capacities in vehicles will be enforced.
Funerals and Religious meetings
It is a truism that any civilian government cannot ban funerals and religious meetings without ousting itself. The problem here is the enforcement of the screening procedures.
These are the little things which if overlooked can prolong the sojourn of Ebola in this country and not necessarily the mighty things. It's like what caused the sinking of the Titanic from little cumulative causes. Scientists now say it was a series of slits and not a giant gash that sank the Titanic, the opulent, 900-foot ocean liner that went down in 1912 on its first voyage from England to New York. 1,500 people died that night in one of history’s worst maritime disasters. The most widely held theory was that the ship hit an iceberg which opened a gash in its side. This allegory shows that the things we leave undone about Ebola are the very ones that will stretch out Ebola much longer than it should be.
The Front Line Soldiers
In this matter of confronting Ebola our “soldiers” who have kind of usurped the role of the traditional soldiers are mainly medical personnel and paramedics. They have virtually laid down their lives for their country and must be saluted and venerated. They are the faithful few who should be honoured. In the days of old many missionaries died of malaria and other tropical diseases when medicine was not yet advanced and yet more of them kept coming. In like manner our intrepid medical doctors have been holding the fort in the face of the certain deaths of their colleagues. Indeed the words of Ralph Barton Perry ring true when he wrote: “Those who have not risen to the level of patriotism are not likely to rise to higher levels.” Our dead compatriots rose to the highest national levels possible and others are still rising.
Burial Teams
Before the outbreak of Ebola the terminology Burial team had not been known. My mind cringed when I learnt of the process of burial by the burial teams. It was soul-searing. The burial teams in Kailahun and Kenema should be commended instead of being stigmatised. There is an element of patriotism in their deeds. One can only imagine the sanitary scenario without the teams.
Question Time
If it is true that Ebola survivors become immune to the disease why not employ suitable ones to add to your medical corps? They are the latest category of front line soldiers .
(C) Politico 02/09/14
