A survivor of Ebola in Uganda told the BBC’s Newsday program that he and his family were treated as outcasts while fighting the disease.
“Many of our neighbors had turned us down,” he explained. “No one could sit next to you, and you couldn’t go shopping.”
When members of his family died, he said he didn’t even have the support of his neighbors.
“Imagine losing someone and having no one come to check on you, no one even comes to express their condolences.”
According to him, the experience was so traumatic that he felt hopeless: “It got to the point where I was so tired and hated this world.”
Ugandan officials declared the end of their recent Ebola outbreak on Wednesday, after 42 days of no new confirmed cases.
During the most recent outbreak, more than 50 people died from the illness. By imposing lockdowns in high-incidence areas, health officials were able to put an end to the disease.
Ebola is a deadly illness that spreads through bodily fluids and has a high fatality rate.
