1. Africa’s Ebola outbreaks complicated by victims who prefer traditional healers over hospitals
https://apnews.com/article/uganda-congo-ebola-spirituality-religion-fait...
BUNDIBUGYO, Uganda (AP) — Whenever Ebola comes, some of the afflicted choose the road to the nearest hospital. Others take the path to the shrine of a traditional healer, often with devastating consequences.
Many view the onset of hemorrhagic fever as a spiritual affliction and seek out herbs and prayers instead of going to the hospital. This is the case now in Congo, which is suffering its seventeenth outbreak of Ebola since 1976, when the virus was first identified in the rich Congo Basin ecosystem...
2. BBC: Recovery of Ebola patients offers rare moments of joy at epicentre of outbreak
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3xyvww1lqo
Ebola survivor Daniel Kitambala encouraged those with Ebola symptoms to seek treatment
"See… I recovered," the subsistence farmer said as he raised his hands in the air three times in a victory salute and in praise of God.
"People should seek treatment when they fall ill," he said as he turned to thank the healthcare workers behind him who were clapping.
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org