As part of the efforts to curtail the continued ravaging of the West African country by Ebola virus, Sierra Leone Government has now outlawed traditional burials which is believed to be the major distributor of the disease in many villages where the traditional burial rite is very common in the country.
Before this new development, activists and celebrities have been doing the utmost best to sensitize the populace about the danger of some common practices such as touching and washing the body of the deceased.
In a chilling and blunt radio announcement, Dr. Dr. Desmond Williams declares: “If I die, I want the deaths to stop with me. I want to give my family the permission to request a safe and dignified, medical burial for me.”
The announcement is part of a campaign to urge Sierra Leoneans to abandon traditional burial practices, such as relatives touching or washing the dead bodies, that are fueling the spread of Ebola in the West African country.
According to the International Federation of the Red Cross, the bodies of Ebola victims can be up to 10 times more infectious than those of people living with the disease.
It is hoped that this ban on traditional burial will go a long way in assisting in the fight against the dreaded Ebola virus in Sierra Leone.