Reflecting on a Decade of Service: A Journey of Grief to Resilience in the Heart of the Ebola Outbreak in 2014

A decade ago, I found myself in the middle of a public health emergency. Nigeria was covered in heroic headlines for its successful fight against the Ebola virus, thanks to extraordinary medical vigilance and the ultimate sacrifice of Dr. Stella Adadevoh. I felt a higher calling beyond borders to answer the African Union's Support for the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA), a mission to combat the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa.

I made the move from Nigeria, still bleeding from burying my first child, to Sierra Leone, desperate in my way to stem the tide of a new and terrifying contagion sweeping through Africa.

When I first touched down in Sierra Leone, I was deployed to Kambia district, the outbreak’s epicentre. My first night was bizarre; we arrived at 1:00 a.m. I was served cold rice and okra soup for dinner. I remember tossing and turning, haunted by my choice to be away from my grieving wife and family in a season of celebration. However, I held firm to my conviction; if there was one driving force that kept me away from my loved ones, it was love that extends beyond personal comforts but finds its expression in the broader fabric of life and collective existence. I served as the humanitarian affairs officer and psychosocial lead and held dearly to community engagement and sensitisation as the cornerstone of our success. While clinical interventions were vital, success hinged on changing behaviours, earned through trust and dialogues and faithfully exhibiting cultural competence. I worked at the Ebola Treatment Centre in Kambia, working closely with the patients and their households. Despite the recovery, stigma prevailed; my role was not limited to medical coordination; it included counselling and propagating a risk message amongst recovering victims. I needed to show resilience and empathy to communities while using every means at my disposal to restore dignity to victims of the outbreak.

The Ebola response is still one of the most defining experiences of my professional career in hindsight. It showed that we can do extraordinary things through collaboration among governments, international organisations, and local communities. I apply these lessons today in my role as an epidemiologist at the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). I head the surveillance of the cholera TWG, the epidemiology study/research unit, and the community health system strengthening to build a competent public health workforce capable of addressing emerging challenges. Over time, my dreams have expanded to take up a facilitator role at Africa Volunteer Health Corp. (AVoHC) with the Africa CDC. Looking back at the ceremonies that marked both victories and losses, I see compounding narratives that demand increased funding for mental health response in times of crisis, stronger community-based health provision, and a public health ethos grounded in our humanity. I am dedicated to contributing to policies and programs that reflect these values.

During the Ebola outbreak, my commitment to serving was tested and, in turn, changed. It was a lesson that the love of mankind is not an aloof concept but underscored by action, borders on the intensely private, and usually requires a significant sacrifice. A decade later, I am still touched by those who joined me on the frontlines and the thousands of lives saved by our combined effort. While we gear up for what lies ahead, this incident also stands as a lighthouse of lessons, telling us that with any struggle, resilience can reign supreme even over confrontation.

Happy tenth anniversary to all 2014 Ebola heroes!

Yours sincerely,

Iliya Danladi Cheshi