http://www.usaid.gov/ https://www.internews.org/ http://www.healthcommcapacity.org/ Media Newsletter Information Saves Lives Issue #14 - June 13-19 http://on.fb.me/1NM9DKt/internewsliberia Welcome to the Internews Newsletter for media in Liberia. This newsletter is created with the intent to support the work of local media in reporting about Ebola and Ebola-related issues in Liberia. Internews welcomes feedback, comments and suggestions from all media receiving this newsletter and invites them to forward, share and re-post this newsletter as widely as possible. Ebola orphans At least 11,000 children have been orphaned in the Psychological first aid for children: Ebola outbreak across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone (data from UNICEF, 2015). Many children have lost a A big challenge for the Ministry is to provide enough parent, parents of caregivers to the Ebola virus and social workers to visit the children. Liberia does not currently find themselves entrusted to the Government have enough qualified social workers in the counties to of Liberia, relatives or foster families. Many of these respond to the psychosocial need of children in the ‘Ebola orphans’ suffer from psychological stress and county. To support the Ministry, communities, teachers find themselves in an extremely vulnerable situation. and parents can also engage in simple psychosocial The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, support strategies. in collaboration with UNICEF and Save the Children You do not need to be a professional to engage in have been tasked by the president to support children simple psychosocial first aid activities with children. that have lost a parent, parents or primary caregivers Internews encourages parents, teachers and other during the Ebola outbreak. But what is actually being caregivers to help Ebola orphans and other vulnerable done by the Liberian government and partners for children by conducting simple psychosocial first aid children that find themselves orphaned because of the support activities with them. Ebola virus? What is Psychosocial First Aid? The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, in collaboration with UNICEF and Save the Children is Psychological First Aid (PFA) is a humane, supportive responsible to help arrange foster care for children who response to someone who is suffering and may need were affected by the Ebola outbreak. Families that support. voluntarily take Ebola orphans in foster care are provided with a one-time payment of $150 USD to Parents, teachers, family members and any other Liberian can provide support to children, by: supplement the cost for feeding and care. Additionally, Talking to children to help understand what they the children benefit from visits of social workers who need conduct psychosocial support activities with them. The helping children to get access to basic needs such social workers benefit from a program run by Save the as food and water, medical help and information; Children and UNICEF – through which the two listening to children, but not pressuring them to organizations offer monetary incentives and train the talk; social workers. comforting children and helping them to feel calm; The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection protecting children from further harm. uses the following four categories to identify which children (and their families) will get support: children that have lost a caregiver, children that have lost a parent, children that have lost two parents and children that have survived Ebola themselves. Internews “Information Saves Lives” is a six-month project implemented under the Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (Hc3) project and funded by USAID. The project aims at building the capacity of Liberian journalists to report accurately on the Ebola disease and on the impact of the crisis on the local population. For more information contact: Tapang Ivo Tanku, Health Communication Liaison Officer – 0770461348 http://www.usaid.gov/ https://www.internews.org/ http://www.healthcommcapacity.org/ Media Newsletter Information Saves Lives Issue #14 - June 13-19 http://on.fb.me/1NM9DKt/internewsliberia Step 1: How do you see that a child needs help? Ø If passing time with children, try to involve them in play activities or simple conversation Young children may behave in a way that is not about their interests, according to their age common for their age (for example, bedwetting or and to the safety regulations for Ebola. thumb-sucking even though the child stopped doing that for long) http://uni.cf/1vuF7ia Children might cling to their caregivers more than Sources: before, and stop playing. About Psychosocial First Aid (Source – WHO) School-age children may believe they caused bad things to happen, develop new fears, become less http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/131682/1/9 affectionate, and feel alone. 789241548847_eng.pdf Adolescents may feel “nothing”, feel different or isolated from their friends, or start showing ‘risky For Ebola Survivors (Source – CDC) behavior’. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/flipbook-survived- ebola.pdf Step 2: How can you help a child? About the Ebola orphans in West-Africa (Source – Babies: UNICEF) http://www.unicefusa.org/stories/ebola-orphans- Keep the child warm and safe west-africas-abandoned-children/19831 Keep away from loud noises and chaos Media contacts Keep a regular feeding and sleeping schedule Speak in a calm and soft voice Save the Children Liberia Gradiah Walker, Advocacy and Policy Manager Older children: Phone: 0886 556 290 [email protected] Give them extra time and attention. Tell the children that he or she is safe. Playing to Live Talk to them, tell them that they are not to blame for bad things that have happened. Jessi Hanson, Program Manager Keep to regular routines and schedules as much as Email: [email protected] possible, or make new ones. Playing to Live is running a pilot program in Liberia for Give simple answers about what has happened children orphaned by the disease, hoping to aid their without scary details. recovery with art therapy and play. See more about Allow them to stay close to you if they are fearful. their work on: http://www.playingtolive.org/ Provide a chance to play and relax, if possible. Ministry of Gender Remember to Listen, Talk and Play with children. Victoria Zaway, Children Protection Lead +231777585469 Ø Be calm, talk softly and be kind. Ø Listen to children’s views on their situation. UNICEF Liberia Ø Try to talk with them at their eye level (e.g. sit Alvina Lim, Communications Specialist or kneel on the floor), and use words and Phone: 0770267938 explanations they can understand. [email protected] Ø Find out their name, where they are from, and any information you can in order to help find their caregivers and other family members. Internews “Information Saves Lives” is a six-month project implemented under the Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (Hc3) project and funded by USAID. The project aims at building the capacity of Liberian journalists to report accurately on the Ebola disease and on the impact of the crisis on the local population. For more information contact: Tapang Ivo Tanku, Health Communication Liaison Officer – 0770461348 http://www.usaid.gov/ https://www.internews.org/ http://www.healthcommcapacity.org/ Media Newsletter Information Saves Lives Issue #14 - June 13-19 http://on.fb.me/1NM9DKt/internewsliberia 'Ebola laws': enforced or redundant? On the 20th of November 2015, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice officially that the law is still in place and that the Ministry of signed the Anti-Ebola regulation (MOHSW/R- Justice is responsible for law enforcement. 001/2014). This regulation forbade Liberians to act in any way that threatened or endangered Liberia’s What has changed since Liberia is Ebola-free? public health. The regulation was requested by the president and signed by then Minister of Health, Dr. Section 2 of the regulation states that ‘ until the Walter Gwenigale, Acting Minister of Justice and Government of Liberia (GOL) declares that Liberia is Attorney General Ccl. Benedict F. Sannoh, and Madam EVD free, any and all deaths occurring in household or President. communities shall be reported to the local health authorities, head of family, and household or On the 9th of May, Liberia was officially declared Ebola- community leaders for onward reporting to healthcare free by her government and international partners. So facilities or authorities. Because Liberia is officially what has become of the ‘Ebola laws’? Are they still in Ebola-free, it is no longer necessary of communities place, or can Liberians go back to ‘their old ways’? and household to report deaths. The Anti-Ebola regulation (known at the Ministry of Prevention is better than cure Health and Justice under the name: MOHSW/R- th 001/2014), dictates: At a press conference, held on the 18 of June 2015 at Redemption Hospital in Monrovia, Minister Tolbert · That all Liberians who are hiding a sick Nyenswah shared an interesting case study with the family member will be able to be fined assembled press. Last Saturday, a suspected Ebola case or prosecuted; from Guinea was brought to the ETU in Bong County. · That Liberians are not to practice The woman was bleeding from her eyes and had traditional rituals on an death body recently arrived in Liberia from Guinea. The next day before the body has been tested for her test came back – negative. However, the example Ebola; shows the importance of correct border surveillance · That all symptomatic patients need to be isolated in a healthcare facility; and the fact that Liberia should remain vigilant. With · That owners of public buildings, the borders open it is important to keep in mind that residence and commercial facilities people can travel from Ebola-affected areas to Liberia. (video clubs, bars, restaurants etc.) Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea are much are obliged to place an bucket with interconnected because ohttp://bit.ly/1M6E7FTf trade relationships.