Responding to Ebola

With the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the head of the World Health Organisation warned this week that the country faces a “catastrophic collision” of disease and conflict.

Ebola is a disease caused by a virus, and outbreaks between people start when somebody catches it from an infected animal. Ebola is rare but the symptoms are severe, often leading to death. To compound matters, not only is this area of central Africa badly affected by conflict, there is also not currently a vaccine for this strain of the virus.

In our conversations two aid workers in the region share their experiences of containing the disease. We also hear from journalists tackling misinformation, and we meet Harriet in Liberia who contracted Ebola during a previous outbreak.

“I had a last word to my daughter,” Harriet tells us. “I said to her, if I don’t survive, please go and continue your life alone with your siblings and family members and just be a good person.”

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producers: Isabella Bull, Ben Davis and Akwasi Sarpong
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editors: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC World Service Outside Source team

(Photo: Prevention measures to contain the spread of Ebola in DR Congo. Credit: Marie Jeanne Munyerenkana/EPA/Shutterstock)