Gallery: Ebola in Guinea - Sia Bintou's story

20 May 2014

In Gueckedou treatment centre, each time a patient is discharged, staff and patients are extremely happy. Sia Bintou spent more than 10 days in the centre. The teams often thought that she wouldn’t make it, but Bintou ended up beating the disease.

Photo: SYLVAIN CHERKAOUI/Cosmos/

Gueckedou treatment centre. Each time a patient is discharged, staff and patients are extremely happy. Sia Bintou spent more than 10 days in the treatment centre. The teams often thought that she wouldn’t make it, but Bintou ended up beating the disease. While there is no specific treatment for Ebola, staff attempt to strengthen the patient’s body by treating the symptoms.

Photo: SYLVAIN CHERKAOUI/Cosmos/

Guekedou treatment centre. Sia Bintou Kamano is an Ebola patient. Through the airlock between the isolation ward and the rest of the structure set up by MSF, a doctor and a nurse inform her that her lab results have been negative twice in a row. She can now return home.

Photo: SYLVAIN CHERKAOUI/Cosmos/

Gueckedou treatment center. Each time a patient is discharged, staff and patients are extremely happy. Sia Bintou spent more than 10 days in the treatment centre. The teams often thought that she wouldn’t make it, but Bintou ended up beating the disease. While there is no specific treatment for Ebola, staff attempt to strengthen the patient’s body by treating the symptoms.

Photo: SYLVAIN CHERKAOUI/Cosmos/

Sia now has immunity against the virus and is no longer contagious, except through breastfeeding. Health staff explain to her how to use the powdered milk for her 2-year-old child.

Photo: SYLVAIN CHERKAOUI/Cosmos/

Gueckedou treatment centre. Each time a patient is discharged, staff and patients are extremely happy. Sia Bintou spent more than 10 days in the treatment centre. The teams thought many times that she wouldn’t make it, but Bintou beat the disease. Even though there is no specific treatment for Ebola, staff attempt to strengthen the patient’s body by treating the symptoms.

Photo: SYLVAIN CHERKAOUI/Cosmos/

Sia Bintou is cured, but the local communities are still very much afraid of persons, even after they have been healed. Some former Ebola patients have been rejected, despite the awareness-raising and support offered by MSF in the villages whenever a patient is discharged.

Photo: SYLVAIN CHERKAOUI/Cosmos/

Fortunately, this is not the case for Sia Bintou who is surrounded by her family and neighbours when she arrives. She is surrounded by her 5 children, aged 2 to 12 years. Emotions are palpable-- great happiness, tinged with sadness; other members of her family did not survive the disease.

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Gallery: Ebola in Guinea - Sia Bintou's story

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Ebola in Guinea - Finda Marie's story

Guinea: "Don’t leave them alone"

Guinea: MSF remains vigilant in Ebola outbreaks

MSF continues Ebola response