Learn to stay safe, fear no stigma to win fight against Ebola

Geneva, Oct 31 (IANS/EFE) Overcome apprehension, know how to use protective equipment, trust the security protocol and do not be afraid of social stigma. These are the basic rules taught to 30 volunteers who, after receiving Red Cross training, will travel Friday to West Africa to fight the Ebola epidemic.

"The most important thing is to not be afraid of infection, because otherwise you cannot concentrate on the work you have to do," Adam, an American who will travel to Monrovia Friday, told Efe news agency.

Adam has participated for two days in the training provided by Doctors Without Borders and the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) in Geneva for those who have volunteered to fight the spread of Ebola.

During training, Adam touched a glove covering one hand with the other hand, an action the educator scolded him for.

Asked if he was afraid of being unprepared, Adam rejects the notion.

"The most important thing is to trust and know that the protocol is designed with the assumption that we can make human mistakes; but despite these errors, we will not catch the virus," Adams declares, and admits that yes, he did touch his glove, but previously had washed his hands five times with bleach, thus eliminating any traces of the virus.

"Although it would have been better if I had not touched it," he adds.

Putting on a hazard suit is a slow and painstaking process, but removing the heavy gear is also stressful and tiring, and can take between five and 10 minutes.

Outer gloves, external goggles, external mask, hood, inner mask, apron, boots, and protective layers of cloth. Any of those parts can be a vector for infection, which is why volunteers always work in pairs: one executes the entire process of dressing up and the other gives precise instructions.

Volunteers also learn to transport a patient from an ambulance into a treatment centre, and how to deal with infected bodily fluids, such as blood, vomit, urine and feces.

Adam, who prefers to not give his last name like the rest of the 30 volunteers, will leave Friday. What most of the healthcare workers share is the fear of the risk of social stigma they could face once they return.

"I've talked to my family and friends about where I'm going, and what I'm going to do. No one has directly said anything, but I feel that some do not want to see me for a while after my return. I understand and respect that," Xavier, a Frenchman who is also heading to Monrovia, explains.

"One of the big problems is the stigma currently being suffered by some of our delegates," asserts Cristina Estrada, responsible for crisis management at the IFRC.

"Some, upon their return to Europe, have clearly been stigmatised by their employers or their community. We had a case of a person who went to a supermarket and it immediately emptied of its other customers," says Estrada.

This behaviour is a matter of considerable concern to the federation, not only because it affects the mental state of its employees and volunteers, but because it is causing some people who were planning to travel to the infected areas to change their mind.

"This epidemic is different. The volunteers do not return home and are greeted as heroes. Quite the opposite; the response is hostile and they are accused of being selfish and bringing the virus home," Panu Saaristo, coordinator for health emergencies, explains.

"Take the case of a person who cancelled his trip 12 hours before departure. But we understand the fear and apprehension and do not judge anyone. If the level of anxiety is high and the person is not comfortable, it is best not to go, because if you are worried about your family, you will not concentrate on what you're doing and on your safety," Saaristo adds.

Aware of these difficulties, volunteers are recruited in periods of eight weeks: one for training and travel; four in the field ("the maximum time period in which you can do the job safely," specifies Saaristo); and three at home.

"The three weeks coincide with the virus's 21-day maximum incubation period, in which volunteers are monitored for any symptoms. But above all, it is the time needed to adjust back to reality after a very intense and stressful period," Estrada says.

Despite these difficulties, the IFRC has managed to train and send to work on the ground a hundred international volunteers, in addition to training more than 5,000 locals from the affected countries. The idea now is to train 30 people each week in Geneva, and 26 more in Madrid, where preparation courses are also being held until the end of the year.

--IANS/EFE

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