TOPIC: “Can Sirleaf Survive Ebola?” Anthropologist Mary H. Moran spoke on the topic: “Can Sirleaf Survive Ebola?” Moran’s presentation is part of a week-long series regarding the West-African Ebola outbreak, hosted by the Duke Africa Initiative, Duke University Center for International Studies, Duke Global Health Institute and Program in the Arts of the Moving Image. Moran, professor of anthropology and Africana and Latin American studies at Colgate University, has been studying politics and society in Liberia since the early 1980s. NOTE: Since the 1980s, Professor Moran has been studying Liberia. Moran criticized Western press coverage of the outbreak, citing numerous articles that blamed traditional African practices or corrupt politics for the spread of Ebola. “Having had a war in the last 10 years makes a huge difference in the ability of a public health system to absorb a threat like this,” Moran said. “Being an African public health system is not what makes a difference in containing a threat like this.” She urged the audience to ignore reports that “these are irrational people who believe in juju, eat nasty animals and are suspicious of Western medicine.” “People are giving up their sick dying and dead family members to people wearing anonymous white space suits, in most cases never to see them again,” Moran said. “Give them the benefit of the doubt that, just like Americans, if people in your family are sick, you want to take care of them.” Regarding if President Sirleaf can survive Ebola “It’s clear that many of the accomplishments she was able to achieve will be tarnished because of [Ebola],” Moran said. “It will sadly enough be her legacy, and the best we can hope for is that Liberians will refuse to put up with the kind of government they have put up with for the last decade.” today.duke.edu/2014/09/liberia
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 23:15:25 +0000
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