Killing of an anti-Ebola team in Guinea: a survivor testified: "I've seen people get away with machetes and slingshots"

Post by Guineematin the 19-7 - 2014

Advocacy against Ebola turned tragic Tuesday, September 16 in the small town of Wome in Forest Guinea. Doctors, politicians and journalists were lynched by residents who refused to admit the existence of the virus. A survivor testifies ...
Tuesday afternoon, a delegation of a dozen people went to Womé, sub-prefecture of the region N'zérékoré in south-western Guinea Conakry. Among them, representatives of health staff of the hospital N'zérékoré, pastor, representatives of the Guinean state and several journalists covering the operation. The purpose of the delegation about the risks of the spread of the Ebola virus in a region that is experiencing a resurgence of epidemics in the past two weeks .

"When we arrived at Womé, we were welcomed by the population. The governor of the region Nzerekore first made a speech in French to express the determination of Guinea to defeat Ebola virus. Then an interpreter translated his words in the local language to the crowd. After a few minutes, someone stood up and said in the local language: "It is you who bring us Ebola! You're going to give up "and there was a clamor. The authorities have tried to speak again to calm people. But immediately, we received a hail of stones. I've seen people get away with machetes and slingshots. All members of the delegation took their legs around their necks to escape. It was every man for himself: some managed to escape with their vehicles, they are not concerned about me [vehicles were stoned before she managed to escape, including that of the governor and the prefect, note] . I was scared, and I ran as far as I could to hide in a bush. It was very long hours of anguish waiting, staring at my cell phone, looking network to prevent my family. In the middle of the night, I managed to send a text message to tell them that he had taken something serious to Womé, but I was alive. I told them where I was hiding. They managed to pick me up and I'm back healthy and saves Wednesday Nzerekore.
Behind me, I left friends, unable to help. Those who attacked the delegation made no distinction between doctors, journalists or political: for them, we had all come to contaminate them. "

Cynthia actually escaped the worst: Thursday, September 18, the Guinean authorities alerted to the seriousness of the event have found seven dead bodies in a mass grave, some of which have wounds with machetes. Among them are the sub-prefect of Wome, the head of the regional health and three journalists. 21 people were injured and two people are still missing.

Cynthia W.

"Texting say Ebola is an invention of the Guinean government"

Several cases of virulent opposition to raising awareness occurred in the area of ​​Forest Guinea in recent weeks, but this is the first time a rebellion of the population is dead. Jeudi18 September, Guinean Prime Minister condemned "in the strongest [this] act of cruelty intolerable and unjustifiable" and announced the opening of a police investigation. Six people have already been arrested.
Nixon (pseudonym) knew a trainee journalists of a local radio who was killed while covering the event.

"There was no indication that this could be down to Womé dangerous: it is not a village at risk. It was however the first time since the Ebola a delegation went there to call the population to be vigilant because of the upsurge of cases in the region [of awareness epidemic had already taken place but from religious bodies, ed]. The problem is that misinformation is in full swing in the region for several weeks, SMS circulating on mobile phones to say that Ebola is an invention of the Guinean government to decimate the population of Guinea forest. The people in these rural areas have no confidence at all in the political representatives. "