Did Ebola ever really go away?

It’s been a long time since the world spoke of Ebola. Almost as soon as the 2014 outbreak that killed more than 11,000 people was declared over – before, in fact – photographers stopped clicking, pens stopped scratching, and news cameras stopped filming.

The world’s media simply turned away, on to the next story.

But, for the people of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, this was not the end. It was the beginning of a new chapter, one of recovery. And Ebola’s long shadow has remained.

Health services were decimated, survivors stigmatised and economies ruined.

Almost four years later, many people across the three countries are still struggling.

So, what more needs to be done? How are Ebola survivors coping? And should we be paying more attention? The Stream asks these questions to a panel of experts in West Africa.

On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:

John James, @johncjams
Head of Communications, UNICEF Sierra Leone

Foday Gallah 
Ebola survivor

Fatou Wurie, @thefatoublog
Founder, The Survivor Dream Project

Mosoka Fallah
Deputy Director, National Public Health Institute of Liberia

Was your community affected by the 2014 Ebola outbreak? What recovery efforts have you seen and do you think enough is being done? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.