Testing positive for EBOLA in Liberia, the West African nation hardly struck by the outbreak, can be a death sentence. The nation, who is struggling to contain the spread of the virus, is declaring body bags' lack, which are vital in preventing the spreading of the virus.
According to CNN, the forbidding inventory of supplies underscores how ill-equipped Liberia in fighting EBOLA. As one of the West African nations that is most affected by the outbreak, Liberia is also undergoing a shortage of other supplies needed to fight the virus, including protective suits, face masks, gloves and goggles.
The Health Ministry said Liberia needs 85,000 more body bags, 2.4 million boxes of gloves, 1.2 million hooded overalls, 1.7 million face masks, 567,000 goggles, 176,000 rubber boots, 5,000 mattresses and 210,000 hand sprayers in the next six month. Today, Liberia has only 4,900 body bags, 18,000 boxes of gloves, 165,000 hooded overalls, 309,000 face masks, 57,000 goggles, 2,200 rubber boots, 2,000 mattresses and 420 hand sprayers. The numbers are the latest impediment in Liberia's fight against Ebola outbreak.
Since the outbreak began in March, the World Health organization reported about 9,000 EBOLA cases and 4,493 which are mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. And more than half of the deaths have been in Liberia, with at least 2,458 people in the nation, but the numbers are expected to escalate.
As the EBOLA outbreak continues to cause nightmare in West Africa, survivors in Liberia also feel the same. While those who have been treated and survive the call of death brought by the deadly virus, they don't feel fortunate or blessed. Because in the eyes of many Liberians, EBOLA survivors still carry the infection and must be avoided.
In a BBC News report, Liberian survivors have been isolated during their fight with EBOLA and now many still emerge to find themselves isolated again. Liberia's Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr. Walter T. Gwenigale advised Liberians to stop condemning EBOLA survivors. The minister told people to welcome survivors, who could educate them about the virus and how it is treated.
Liberian survivors faced hostilities in varying extents. Many say they have been avoided by members of their communities, and sometimes even by their own families, who refuse to believe they can be free of EBOLA, the virus has killed so many.
The survivors in Liberia only aim to educate people about the outbreak, both how to prevent it and how it is managed. They should be a symbol of hope that others too could survive EBOLA. But with the society's treatment towards them and the social stigma the virus caused, the survivors felt unlucky and are deemed as the nation's outcasts.
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