Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

DR Congo + 2 more

Survival lessons for Congo in the aftershock of West Africa’s Ebola crisis

Emmanuel Freudenthal | Freelance journalist, and regular IRIN contributor

Although Alsény Touré managed to escape the West African Ebola epidemic, the shadow of the disease still lingers over his life. On most days he’s grateful he survived when more than 11,000 people in three countries didn’t. On some, he’s not so sure.

Touré, from the small town of Forécariah in southern Guinea, is far from alone in his sorrow. As many as 17,000 people were infected yet survived the 2013-2016 outbreak in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Although data on their mental health over the long term is patchy, it does point to widespread trauma and depression – experiences confirmed in over 20 interviews The New Humanitarian conducted with survivors in Guinea.

Read more on The New Humanitarian