By Amadou Tourè
The Guinean district of Boké, home to the world's largest bauxite deposits and to a key mine, is critical to the country’s economy. Last month, mining operations were overshadowed by violence when youths staged an uprising, angry at government efforts to remove a suspected Ebola patient from her home. Dr. Facinet Yattara, regional coordinator from the National Ebola Response Center, spoke with Ebola Deeply.
Ebola Deeply: At the end of May, there was a violent incident in Boké. What happened?
Yattara: We’ve put it behind us. Reticence [reluctance to believe that Ebola is real] led to an uprising. A family refused to release a sick patient for treatment, and youths smashed equipment belonging to the Red Cross, several vehicles and parts of the town hall. This happened on May 29. The government responded quickly, and sent security forces that same night. Everything is now back on track.
Ebola Deeply: You say a family refused to release a sick patient for treatment. So was this incident caused by persistent fear surrounding Ebola?
Yattara: I prefer not to spend too much time analyzing what happened. This incident was one of dozens that have been recorded during the Ebola outbreak. What’s important is the ongoing handling of the Ebola crisis and the reaction of the government – and that conditions allow our teams to work on the ground. Our concern is that teams are operating in a safe and secure manner. So now, security forces are there to ensure safety.
Ebola Deeply: So how is the response going in Boké and Boffa?
Yattara: In Boffa, there hasn't been a case for more than 60 days. Contact tracing is ongoing, and we are ensuring that all burials are being carried out safely.
In Boké, in the area of Kamsar – home to the mining group Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) – the last two cases were recorded in early June. So if there are no new cases, we can soon expect the outbreak in Kamsar to draw to a close.
Now our problem is that there have, since early June, been new cases in another place – the town of Boké. So far there have been three cases there, including one death.
Ebola Deeply: One of the biggest problems in Guinea lately has been that taxi drivers agree to transport sick people or even dead bodies. Have you heard of many new incidents in Boké?
Yattara: In the last few days, no, but there have been several incidents. At one point, a corpse was transported a distance of 123km, from Kamsar to Sangarédi, by shared taxi. Once the corpse reached the edge of Sangarédi – another mining area – it was discovered by police. Fortunately, it tested negative for Ebola, but it was a terrible thing to do to the other passengers. The taxi driver was arrested.
The government declared a state of health emergency in Boké, meaning an official ban on transporting any dead body from one place to another. There are also medical checkpoints all along the road network, allowing authorities to check whether there are any sick people inside cars or taxis. Every car that approaches a checkpoint is obligated to stop, and the passengers must get out, have their temperatures taken and wash their hands.
Ebola Deeply: Are you optimistic that this will work?
Yattara: Logically, yes. With the coordination between the National Ebola Response Center and partners, we’re putting in place measures to stop Ebola spreading to other nearby areas. I think it will work.
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Amadou Tourè is a contributor to Ebola Deeply
[Photo Courtesy of Ebola Deeply]