According to the latest figures, more than 1,400 confirmed cases of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease, including 350 deaths, have been reported in the two countries. More than 90 percent of infections are concentrated in the DRC’s Ituri province, a major hub for cross-border trade with Uganda – ravaged by years of armed conflict.
Call to Kampala
On a Sunday morning in Kampala, Dr. Chris Opesen, an anthropologist at the World Health Organization (WHO), received a call from local authorities shortly after 5:30 a.m.
A woman suspected of having Ebola is preparing to return home and has been asked to help ensure her safe reintegration into the community.
Three days earlier, Lilian* had presented symptoms consistent with Ebola and was transferred to the Ebola isolation unit at Mulago hospital for diagnosis and treatment.
Although the transfer was planned, it was nevertheless a distressing experience for her, her family and her neighbors. Since then, everyone has been eagerly awaiting the final confirmatory test that will determine if she can return home safely.
Over the past 36 hours, Dr. Opesen has remained in regular contact with Lilian and her family, reassuring and guiding them as anxiety grew in the community.
“The anthropologist is the midfield in the response to the epidemic,” he says, drawing on a football analogy. “I connect response teams with communities and provide feedback, from the community to response teams, citing concerns, fears and grievances. »
Managing fear and misinformation
Along with his colleagues from the Kampala Capital Authority, Dr Opesen is organizing a community meeting with Lilian’s family and friends to address concerns before her return.
What begins as a tense and emotional exchange gradually transforms when Dr. Opesen offers a more structured dialogue. The group agrees and elects a president, a neighbor and a secretary: Lilian’s sister, Angela*.
Students attend an Ebola awareness session at a primary school in Kasese district, Uganda.
As everyone is given space to speak, the atmosphere slowly calms down. “We appreciate you, because without you there would still be fear,” Angela then said.
Later, Dr Opesen and his colleague Henry Bwire, monitoring focal point with the Kampala Capital Authority, accompany a neighbor to a local shop.
Lilian had asked them to speak to the shopkeeper, who allegedly stigmatized her mother the day before.
“Ebola is a disease that everyone fears,” explains Mr. Bwire. “Sigma can come from miscommunication and fear, both of which were present in this case. It was our role to bring Lilian back, dispel that miscommunication and reduce that fear in the community.”
After the discussion, the shopkeeper thanks the team and reassures them that Lilian will be treated with respect upon her return.
Waiting for the green light
All that remains is laboratory confirmation.
Both decide to wait on neutral ground rather than return home, positioning themselves between the hospital and Lilian’s neighborhood. They remain in contact with the laboratory and the family throughout the afternoon.
Around 6:30 p.m., the call comes: the result is negative for Ebola. Lilian was treated for a bacterial infection and is well enough to return home.
Emergency relief supplies for the Ebola outbreak are unloaded from a plane in Entebbe, Uganda.
A worthy return
Back home, family and neighbors eagerly gather together. Dr. Opesen arrives with a cake and bottles of water.
When Lilian finally arrives, escorted by a member of the Ugandan national emergency medical team, she seems tired but relieved. The group listens as she recounts her experience and what recovery will mean for her.
“As a family, we appreciate you coming out into the field and into the community to talk to us, because the stigma can be too strong,” she said. “Thank you for listening and addressing our concerns. I hope this can be a learning experience.”
Lilian then cuts the cake and shares it with everyone gathered.
“For me, reintegration is supposed to be a celebration, especially when the evacuation didn’t go as planned,” says Chris. “I wanted to do something special for Lilian, and have her serve the slices to people and have them eat what she gave them, to demonstrate her acceptance in the community.”
A long day, a shared result
At 9 p.m., more than 15 hours into his day, Dr. Opesen is finally on his way home. Despite the long hours, he describes the day as rewarding.
“My role in the response gives me satisfaction,” he says. “If I do my job well, I can make a difference and support WHO’s leadership on the front lines of a safe and dignified response.” »
*Names have been changed to protect patient privacy
