The Emergence of the "Bola Bola" Disease Called Ebola
By Foday Morris
August 4th, 2014, the Day of Reflection, Education (family Sensitization) and Prayers declared by His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of Sierra Leone was successful because the president changed the Ebola sensitization narrative with effective and motivational communication. The president's message accuratedly transferred meaning because it was serious, enlightening and easy to understand.
His Excellency did not speak like a medical doctor or a government representative. He spoke from his heart, revealing the simple facts about Ebola and how it may cause major health disaster in our country. And such ie the best way to inform and motivate people to focus on a serious common cause.
Indeed, the president succeeded in getting the entire nation to take Ebola seriously, especially after he declared The Day. On that Monday, there was piercing silence covering in the entire melting-pot capital city of Freetown The serene landscape of Freetown could have been dubbed a 'ghost town' -- a once-flourishing city that had been abandoned or deserted by its inhabitants, usually caused by some natural disaster, major economic decline or as a result of war or conflict. Seeing vehicles and people on that day was a rare occurrence.
Some of those who witnessed the 11 Year Civil war claimed to have been reminded of the usual silence that gripped communities after rebels would have caused havoc in particular areas. The usual bustling, noisy and busy capital of Freetown was extremely quiet. There was absolutely no traffic. One could hear the sound of an approaching vehicle from a far distance.
The absence of the routine and sometimes annoying honking of horns from vehicles and motorcycles plying the streets, scrambling to carry passengers from one end of the city to another seem to have formed the foundation for the solemnity of the day. The usually congested, loud and most times, congested business centers and intersections filled with traders noisily marketing their various merchandise were as tranquil as the middle of the Atlantic ocean.
The peace and tranquility around the country was 'golden silence' because it was a day of reflection, mourning and sensitization of family and friends. Quietness, peace and tranquility are endless beauties most of us take for granted. Perhaps the president should use this opportunity to finally declare a day of remembering the victims of our 11 year civil war. It was a heavenly, serene, relaxed, atmosphere were all citizens remained home to reflect, pray and inform their families about the deadly Ebola virus. .
Perhaps the Ebola Outbreak in Sierra Leone and Africa as a whole is a motivational wakeup call for our people to practice good hygiene and sanitation habits. Many of our people practice reckless hygienic habits even before Ebola surfaced here. Many have no problem drinking from the same cup or use the same unwashed spoon that may have been used by a stranger or even someone they know. For those who smoke cigarettes and other 'things', it is common practice to have several people smoke from the same pipe, cigarette or 'joint.'
Like many other diseases Ebola will come and go but we .must all join the crusade for enlightening our people to practice good sanitation habits for healthy living. Even without the deadly Ebola virus, washing hands with soap and water, not sharing cups, spoons, needles, cigarettes and other items could go a long way in reducing the rates infectious diseases in our country. President Koroma's declaration of August 4th 2014 has clearly been a success story but we must do more to continue the lifelong sensitization for hygiene and good sanitation.
The president has ushered in the chance for a new narratives that will fill the communication void in the fight against Ebola and others diseases. In an article titled, "Doubt, Death, Ebola and its Narratives" published on Facebook last week, Mohamed Gibril Sesay opined that effective communication that focuses on religion, culture and tradition and social class should take center stage in the sensitization and dissemination of information related to Ebola to various members of society.
Mohamed Gibril Sesay highlighted several narratives in his well thought-out and informative article. He spoke of the scientific and government narratives versus traditional, religious and cultural norms of communication when he wrote:
"We may need to look at the clash of narrative cultures, a clash of rules of evidence, a clash of ways of curing for the sick, of burying the dead, plus some other developments that result in these clashes becoming tragic, increasing rates of transmission, shifting epicenters of the disease"
When preparing a message especially for mass communication one size does not fit all. A national health emergency demands targeted messages to different audiences that make the entire populace of over six million people from all walks of life. As Mohamed Gibril also wrote ,
"The way Ebola is explained scientifically lends itself to easy dismissal by persons at community levels using other narrative techniques endemic within local communities. Caring for the sick is a badge of honor in communities, a sign of caring, a marker of one's identity as an empathic member of a community; being involved in burial rites is also an act of honoring, an indelible part of coming to terms with the death of one's relative, friend or acquaintance. Explanations about communities refraining from caring for Ebola patients, or burying those who succumb to the disease make perfect sense within rational scientific mentalities. But it could be easily dismissed when pitched against time-honored ways of dealing with illness and death within communities. "
Each target audience in the Ebola fight should have their specific message specifically crafted for them. If for example I was asked to draft a message for the 'serviceman' at the local Attire Tea Base, or at the Okada Rider Park, I will use a different mode of communication, different from a message to traditional people of secret societies, students at various levels, older people etc. A message to the e Youth of Seirra Leone requires a study of their youth culture.
Sierra Leone Youth have a new slang that is already similar and phonetically sounds like the word Ebola. The phrase is to "bola-bola." When our youth say they are going to "bola-bola" they mean they are going on a mission to beg for handouts from people they consider more affluent. They go on what I refer to as 'scavenger' missions, in search of people that could give them money without working for it.
Health experts have informed us that when the Ebola virus kills someone it leaves the dead body and waits on the surface of the skin for a new host body with fresh blood. Ebola, like to 'bola-bola' is a diseases that 'scavenges' for new hosts. The most likely victims to be infected by the deadly virus are those who practice reckless hygienic and sanitation habits because they are ill-informed.
Those who dare touch a dead person or someone who is gravely ill, are the most likely victims for new infections. The virus dies a natural death when no one touches the dead victim, just like those who 'bola-bola' would continue to search for their next 'bola-bola' victim, after they may have exhausted resources, leaving them financially 'ad-up' or broke or the giver simply says enough is enough for free lunches.
The Ebola virus' 'bola-bola' attitude begins from bats to primates (monkeys), and finally to the human body where it causes the most deadly havoc. According to health specialists, over 90% of infected persons lose their lives within a short-period of time, in about 21 days. Ebola is a 'bola-bola' disease that is real and very dangerous.
EBOLA
E – Ebola is Real and it kills you quickly
B – Bola Bola-ing is its expertise
O – Observe good hygienic and sanitation habits.
L – Laziness and carelessness are no options
A – A word to the wise is quit sufficient.
Foday Morris, is the Executive Secretary. Citizens Stakeholders Committee Secretariat
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A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright, quoted in Reader's Digest, June 1995
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