As the action by two Ebola survivors and CARL against the Republic of Sierra Leone continues today at the ECOWAS Court in Abuja, here are top ten things you should know:
- That the Audit Service SL’s findings of 2015 which were referenced in the GTT Report of 2018 and adopted by this government, recorded massive mismanagement and loss of badly needed funds meant to fight the spread of the Ebola virus disease;
- That the reported mismanagement of Ebola funds negatively impacted response and led to gross violation of the right to life and health of many of our compatriots;
- That the government of Sierra Leone after having celebrated Ebola survivors as our heroes, has neglected their welfare and abandoned them to their many post-Ebola challenges;
- That most Ebola survivors continue to suffer from memory and vision loss, extreme fatigue and sleeplessness;
- That to this day since being discharged, some female Ebola survivors have not had a menstrual period, while some others have infertility issues;
- That to this day since being discharged, some male Ebola survivors continue to experience erectile dysfunction;
- That, almost five years after the end of the Ebola, survivors still do not have any specialised medical care and worse, most are turned away at government hospitals for lack of medication for Ebola survivors.
- That government of Sierra Leone after indicating that it wished to amicably settle the action at the ECOWAS Court and despite the survivors waiting for more than a year for settlement, the government is proceeding at the expense of much-needed tax payers’ resources to defend the action rather than settle as previously committed;
- That the contents of the defence of the government of Sierra Leone further ridicule the plight of Ebola survivors;
- That many survivors have died while waiting for justice from the government whose responsibility coupled with international obligations, it is to protect and fulfil their rights as a people of Sierra Leone.
#JusticeForEbolaVictims #EbolaEcowasCase