I was one of the responders to the Ebola crisis of 2014 to 2016 by the time it
crisis of 2014 to 2016 by the time it
crisis of 2014 to 2016 by the time it ended in 2016 it had become the largest
global health crisis of the of this
global health crisis of the of this decade because of the scope it’s usually
decade because of the scope it’s usually
decade because of the scope it’s usually said that in crisis the first casualty
said that in crisis the first casualty
said that in crisis the first casualty is truth I’d like to say that in crisis
is truth I’d like to say that in crisis
is truth I’d like to say that in crisis really the first casualty is trust and
really the first casualty is trust and
really the first casualty is trust and I’ll tell you why from a very young age
I’ll tell you why from a very young age
I’ll tell you why from a very young age one of my earliest memories out of my
one of my earliest memories out of my
one of my earliest memories out of my parents loading us up into the family
parents loading us up into the family
parents loading us up into the family car taking my siblings and myself away
car taking my siblings and myself away
car taking my siblings and myself away from the relative comfort of our home to
from the relative comfort of our home to
from the relative comfort of our home to go help communities that we are facing
go help communities that we are facing
go help communities that we are facing some kind of crisis and trying to
some kind of crisis and trying to
some kind of crisis and trying to alleviate their situation and this early
alleviate their situation and this early
alleviate their situation and this early experience is where what directly
experience is where what directly
experience is where what directly influenced my career choice to study
influenced my career choice to study
influenced my career choice to study medicine and when I graduated and
medicine and when I graduated and
medicine and when I graduated and qualified I immediately got involved
qualified I immediately got involved
qualified I immediately got involved with meeting the needs medical needs of
with meeting the needs medical needs of
with meeting the needs medical needs of medically underserved populations around
medically underserved populations around
medically underserved populations around several countries in western central
several countries in western central
several countries in western central Africa including at the height of the
Africa including at the height of the
Africa including at the height of the Darfur crisis in 2007 where I was a
Darfur crisis in 2007 where I was a
Darfur crisis in 2007 where I was a medical officer with the United Nations
medical officer with the United Nations
medical officer with the United Nations after close to a decade of doing this I
after close to a decade of doing this I
after close to a decade of doing this I came to the US for some further
came to the US for some further
came to the US for some further education well I don’t know if crisis
education well I don’t know if crisis
education well I don’t know if crisis was following me but the next year in
was following me but the next year in
was following me but the next year in the forest of a tiny West African nation
the forest of a tiny West African nation
the forest of a tiny West African nation called Guinea the Ebola crisis started
called Guinea the Ebola crisis started
called Guinea the Ebola crisis started and cases continue to mount and the
and cases continue to mount and the
and cases continue to mount and the disease continued to spread by early
disease continued to spread by early
disease continued to spread by early 2014 Ebola had gripped the attention of
2014 Ebola had gripped the attention of
2014 Ebola had gripped the attention of the of the world including Western
the of the world including Western
the of the world including Western nations and in the news in newspapers
nations and in the news in newspapers
nations and in the news in newspapers everywhere the crowd was a body ball and
everywhere the crowd was a body ball and
everywhere the crowd was a body ball and what the crisis was becoming so as water
what the crisis was becoming so as water
what the crisis was becoming so as water control continue to defy any attempts at
control continue to defy any attempts at
control continue to defy any attempts at controlling Ebola reading the newspapers
controlling Ebola reading the newspapers
controlling Ebola reading the newspapers are watching the news I was familiar
are watching the news I was familiar
are watching the news I was familiar with these places and I was drawn to go
with these places and I was drawn to go
with these places and I was drawn to go back and very soon I realized I had to
back and very soon I realized I had to
back and very soon I realized I had to go back and be a part of the solution to
go back and be a part of the solution to
go back and be a part of the solution to the problem and I got the buy-in from my
the problem and I got the buy-in from my
the problem and I got the buy-in from my wife and volunteered in September 2014 I
wife and volunteered in September 2014 I
wife and volunteered in September 2014 I bid my family goodbye boarded a plane
bid my family goodbye boarded a plane
bid my family goodbye boarded a plane and left for Liberia on the flight to
and left for Liberia on the flight to
and left for Liberia on the flight to Monrovia for the first time I felt fear
Monrovia for the first time I felt fear
Monrovia for the first time I felt fear because this was the situation I hadn’t
because this was the situation I hadn’t
because this was the situation I hadn’t encountered before was I ever going to
encountered before was I ever going to
encountered before was I ever going to see my family again but as the plane got
see my family again but as the plane got
see my family again but as the plane got closer to the airport my thoughts turned
closer to the airport my thoughts turned
closer to the airport my thoughts turned to what had changed like what was going
to what had changed like what was going
to what had changed like what was going to be different and what was the same
to be different and what was the same
to be different and what was the same from the last time I was there it wasn’t
from the last time I was there it wasn’t
from the last time I was there it wasn’t long before I got my answer because as
long before I got my answer because as
long before I got my answer because as the small handful of passengers
the small handful of passengers
the small handful of passengers descended from the plane the the airport
descended from the plane the the airport
descended from the plane the the airport itself looked like a military camp you
itself looked like a military camp you
itself looked like a military camp you had soldiers deployed all over the
had soldiers deployed all over the
had soldiers deployed all over the tarmac walking towards the arrival hall
tarmac walking towards the arrival hall
tarmac walking towards the arrival hall at the airport just a small handful of
at the airport just a small handful of
at the airport just a small handful of us the departure hall was filled with a
us the departure hall was filled with a
us the departure hall was filled with a horde of people waiting to board the
horde of people waiting to board the
horde of people waiting to board the plane and leave the country or flee the
plane and leave the country or flee the
plane and leave the country or flee the country as we’re on the right into town
country as we’re on the right into town
country as we’re on the right into town ambulances were everywhere sirens
ambulances were everywhere sirens
ambulances were everywhere sirens blaring you had this open bat pickup
blaring you had this open bat pickup
blaring you had this open bat pickup trucks with people up who addressed in
trucks with people up who addressed in
trucks with people up who addressed in what I appear to be spacesuits carting
what I appear to be spacesuits carting
what I appear to be spacesuits carting away the dead separating families and
away the dead separating families and
away the dead separating families and taking the sick into isolation even
taking the sick into isolation even
taking the sick into isolation even overhead there was a militia helicopter
overhead there was a militia helicopter
overhead there was a militia helicopter flying low carrying out aerial patrols
flying low carrying out aerial patrols
flying low carrying out aerial patrols and it truly felt and looked like a city
and it truly felt and looked like a city
and it truly felt and looked like a city under siege but this time the enemy was
under siege but this time the enemy was
under siege but this time the enemy was a virus but no less deadly than if
a virus but no less deadly than if
a virus but no less deadly than if bullets were flying now Ebola is a
bullets were flying now Ebola is a
bullets were flying now Ebola is a disease caused by a virus the mode of
disease caused by a virus the mode of
disease caused by a virus the mode of transmission is human to human so
transmission is human to human so
transmission is human to human so efforts at control are aimed at
efforts at control are aimed at
efforts at control are aimed at interrupts in the human to human
interrupts in the human to human
interrupts in the human to human transmission so what do you have to do
transmission so what do you have to do
transmission so what do you have to do the responders have to go into the
the responders have to go into the
the responders have to go into the communities find the sick and isolate
communities find the sick and isolate
communities find the sick and isolate them for treatment then monitor their
them for treatment then monitor their
them for treatment then monitor their contacts in quarantine for 21 days to
contacts in quarantine for 21 days to
contacts in quarantine for 21 days to make sure they don’t fall sick and then
make sure they don’t fall sick and then
make sure they don’t fall sick and then also educate the communities on what
also educate the communities on what
also educate the communities on what harmful practices they need to suspend
harmful practices they need to suspend
harmful practices they need to suspend or stop for the duration of the epidemic
or stop for the duration of the epidemic
or stop for the duration of the epidemic I quickly joined the response and
I quickly joined the response and
I quickly joined the response and settled into my role as a field
settled into my role as a field
settled into my role as a field coordinator with the World Health
coordinator with the World Health
coordinator with the World Health Organization and the World Health
Organization and the World Health
Organization and the World Health Organization had people in all the
Organization had people in all the
Organization had people in all the communities helping to interface with
communities helping to interface with
communities helping to interface with the communities to push back Ebola now
looking back at that time it’s clear
looking back at that time it’s clear that on the line the epidemic of a virus
that on the line the epidemic of a virus
that on the line the epidemic of a virus was an overlying epidemic of mistrust as
was an overlying epidemic of mistrust as
was an overlying epidemic of mistrust as you can also see from newspaper accounts
you can also see from newspaper accounts
you can also see from newspaper accounts of that period and many factors were
of that period and many factors were
of that period and many factors were responsible for this widespread mistrust
responsible for this widespread mistrust
responsible for this widespread mistrust one help was slow in coming to the
one help was slow in coming to the
one help was slow in coming to the affected countries although from early
affected countries although from early
affected countries although from early 2014 much earlier in the year it was
2014 much earlier in the year it was
2014 much earlier in the year it was clear that the epidemic had overwhelmed
clear that the epidemic had overwhelmed
clear that the epidemic had overwhelmed the response capacities of the affected
the response capacities of the affected
the response capacities of the affected countries the international community
countries the international community
countries the international community was really slow to respond when help
was really slow to respond when help
was really slow to respond when help came enough was in don’t we engage the
came enough was in don’t we engage the
came enough was in don’t we engage the naturist
naturist
naturist the natural natural structures in those
the natural natural structures in those
the natural natural structures in those communities and this led to poorly
communities and this led to poorly
communities and this led to poorly crafted messaging culturally offensive
crafted messaging culturally offensive
crafted messaging culturally offensive handing of corpses and separation of
handing of corpses and separation of
handing of corpses and separation of sick people from their families
when the military and police got
when the military and police got involved in the response then trust fled
involved in the response then trust fled
involved in the response then trust fled the environment completely and when
the environment completely and when
the environment completely and when Trust was lost sick people went
Trust was lost sick people went
Trust was lost sick people went underground
dead bodies secret barriers continued
dead bodies secret barriers continued riots escalated rumors we arrived and a
riots escalated rumors we arrived and a
riots escalated rumors we arrived and a Bullock is SK Bullock cases the number
Bullock is SK Bullock cases the number
Bullock is SK Bullock cases the number of Ebola cases exploded eventually we
of Ebola cases exploded eventually we
of Ebola cases exploded eventually we started to trust each other more we
started to trust each other more we
started to trust each other more we started to collaborate more and
started to collaborate more and
started to collaborate more and cooperate more and when this happened
cooperate more and when this happened
cooperate more and when this happened something amazing happened
something amazing happened
something amazing happened some of the trickiest problems of the
some of the trickiest problems of the
some of the trickiest problems of the response the solution started to come
response the solution started to come
response the solution started to come from the communities themselves the
from the communities themselves the
from the communities themselves the ladies to see before you is a survival
ladies to see before you is a survival
ladies to see before you is a survival for the tricky problem of hands-on care
for the tricky problem of hands-on care
for the tricky problem of hands-on care for the sick while staying safe those
for the sick while staying safe those
for the sick while staying safe those who had gotten sick and survived
who had gotten sick and survived
who had gotten sick and survived we’re now immune and they got involved
we’re now immune and they got involved
we’re now immune and they got involved with hands-on care for those that were
with hands-on care for those that were
with hands-on care for those that were still sick the number of people that
still sick the number of people that
still sick the number of people that died the number of cases that died
died the number of cases that died
died the number of cases that died dropped for the kadhi for the tricky
dropped for the kadhi for the tricky
dropped for the kadhi for the tricky problem of monitoring people in the
problem of monitoring people in the
problem of monitoring people in the communities and making sure that those
communities and making sure that those
communities and making sure that those that were sick came forward for
that were sick came forward for
that were sick came forward for treatment the community itself involves
treatment the community itself involves
treatment the community itself involves structures the natural leaders in the
structures the natural leaders in the
structures the natural leaders in the community the Chiefs the women groups
community the Chiefs the women groups
community the Chiefs the women groups the youth groups that religious leaders
the youth groups that religious leaders
the youth groups that religious leaders organize themselves and make sure that
organize themselves and make sure that
organize themselves and make sure that those that we are sick we are brought
those that we are sick we are brought
those that we are sick we are brought forward for treatment they made sure
forward for treatment they made sure
forward for treatment they made sure that those are in quarantine we are
that those are in quarantine we are
that those are in quarantine we are taking care of they were provided food
taking care of they were provided food
taking care of they were provided food and supplies to make sure that they
and supplies to make sure that they
and supplies to make sure that they stayed the full 21 days without coming
stayed the full 21 days without coming
stayed the full 21 days without coming out of quarantine the community itself
out of quarantine the community itself
out of quarantine the community itself ensured that sick people and there was
ensured that sick people and there was
ensured that sick people and there was no burial of the dead no secret barriers
no burial of the dead no secret barriers
no burial of the dead no secret barriers continued and then the country has long
continued and then the country has long
continued and then the country has long porous borders that are really proved
porous borders that are really proved
porous borders that are really proved difficult to monitor the communities
difficult to monitor the communities
difficult to monitor the communities themselves started to police
themselves started to police
themselves started to police borders they evolve strategies that when
borders they evolve strategies that when
borders they evolve strategies that when they see strangers coming
they see strangers coming
they see strangers coming the interviewed strangers found out
the interviewed strangers found out
the interviewed strangers found out their mission and took their picture and
their mission and took their picture and
their mission and took their picture and wrote their names down so that it to
wrote their names down so that it to
wrote their names down so that it to make it easier for them to track in case
make it easier for them to track in case
make it easier for them to track in case they ended up becoming stick people even
they ended up becoming stick people even
they ended up becoming stick people even experts in other areas got involved in
experts in other areas got involved in
experts in other areas got involved in the response and I’ve been motorcyclist
the response and I’ve been motorcyclist
the response and I’ve been motorcyclist our treated a fleet of motorcycles with
our treated a fleet of motorcycles with
our treated a fleet of motorcycles with biohazard boxes an enhanced suspension
biohazard boxes an enhanced suspension
biohazard boxes an enhanced suspension in these countries they are really bad
in these countries they are really bad
in these countries they are really bad road networks and during the rainy
road networks and during the rainy
road networks and during the rainy season is very hard for cars to gain
season is very hard for cars to gain
season is very hard for cars to gain access to some areas this intervention
access to some areas this intervention
access to some areas this intervention and this innovation allowed every part
and this innovation allowed every part
and this innovation allowed every part of the country to become accessible so
of the country to become accessible so
of the country to become accessible so these motorcycles will go in and go get
these motorcycles will go in and go get
these motorcycles will go in and go get blood samples from the most remote parts
blood samples from the most remote parts
blood samples from the most remote parts of the country even musicians got in on
of the country even musicians got in on
of the country even musicians got in on the action and they started to sing
the action and they started to sing
the action and they started to sing songs and the message now changed from
songs and the message now changed from
songs and the message now changed from Ebola kills to let’s stop Ebola together
Ebola kills to let’s stop Ebola together
Ebola kills to let’s stop Ebola together and eventually in 2016 the outbreak was
and eventually in 2016 the outbreak was
and eventually in 2016 the outbreak was declared over now trust we have in
declared over now trust we have in
declared over now trust we have in Columbus here we’re grappling with
Columbus here we’re grappling with
Columbus here we’re grappling with different kinds of crises there is the
different kinds of crises there is the
different kinds of crises there is the opioid crisis the healthcare crisis and
opioid crisis the healthcare crisis and
opioid crisis the healthcare crisis and there were some crises that are more
there were some crises that are more
there were some crises that are more personal to you and I say that trust
personal to you and I say that trust
personal to you and I say that trust must not be allowed to be a casualty
must not be allowed to be a casualty
must not be allowed to be a casualty because when Trust is abundant the
because when Trust is abundant the
because when Trust is abundant the ingenuity of the communities themselves
ingenuity of the communities themselves
ingenuity of the communities themselves rises up to save the day and solve the
rises up to save the day and solve the
rises up to save the day and solve the problem thank you
problem thank you
problem thank you [Applause]
”
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