Written by Richard Kane   

So far people are alarmed by what Ebola is doing to people, but it also affects tradition. In the US we dread the idea of the Amish being forced to change their old-fashioned way of life, in making necessary changes, going out of our way to find a means to preserve their lifestyle as we do this. Ebola will be stopped eventually, but is there any way to restore the African way of life, generations living together or in close walking distance from each other. Relatives helping a sick member of their extended family. No orphan left alone. Is there any way for them to continue to share meals together? Will Africans in the US,when they visit their homeland, find anything they can still relate to?

I think there are things that can be done to help preserve African culture.

There are many ways cultures can change drastically. The Chinese used to be known for their extended families sticking together and helping each other. China installed the one child per family policy and it succeeded so well in changing what it means to be Chinese that they don't want a second child despite now, a government bonus for a second child.

American parents are excited if their child is a computer nerd, hoping they end up having a high paying computer job because of it. One child got a college scholarship due to his computer game designing skill, but died of a blood clot before going on to that college. Other kids collapsed from dehydration playing a computer game non-stop day and night, snoozing for awhile then waking up to continue the computer game. In the past parents complained if their child watched TV not even half the time. People are mowed down on our highways because drivers can't keep their ears away from the phone and lately their eyes away from their text messages. There are a few complaints, but no one is reacting with horror.

There is a touch of hope in tradition not totally evaporating in Africa. At the large overcrowded Kenema General Hospital in Sierra Leone, US doctor George Risi was impressed to see Margaret Mcauley nursing her far sicker husband Eddie then saving the lives of several babies, this is but one example Dr. Risi saw,
http://www2.providence.org/phs/phi/Pages/FullStory.aspx?storyID=106
When possible families could be housed together, a sick person trying to help someone sicker than themselves is likely helping them stay healthy for them as well.

Somewhere in Africa where doctors are coming in to lecture on bleach and rubber gloves and when possible sending the sick away to what usually amounts to being a hospice are survivors treating their sick relatives in a traditional way as long as the people they are treating are properly kept hydrated and get adequate food they are at least as able to survive as those being treated in over-crowed centers.

With the help of light clothing and cloth gloves and a thin piece of cloth masks treated with silver-nitrate and Iodine, those not immune can get involved in care giving as well with as much safety as someone with a fancy US respirator who risks cross infection when it is removed. Using Ebola survivors, not bothering to put on rubber would be far more effective and bring back the African human touch., also creating less dread of going to a hospital. (Off the subject, Cuba is sending doctors more than anyone else. The US working with Cuba might help a lot. New teams would more easily be able to try my suggestion of a two step care. Survivors in front with the patients with only cloth silver nitrate treated protection and patients helping patients involved as well and those in back with rubber and a bulky space-suit looking outfit.

If possible instead of destroying African tribal village way of life, there could be a sick hut that smells like silver-nitrate and povidone-Iodine, and fabric not plastic gorilla gloves and a light surgical mask treated with silver-nitrate, that could be tossed aside and put on again with less cross-contamination than trying to remove a US supplied respirator cleaned every evening with bleach.
A problem would be that the sick-tent would feel like someone sprinkled table salt all over the place. So bleach for clean undergarments and two pairs of fabric gloves the inner glove which was cleaned with bleach solution. (Off the subject Malaria is rampant and the African who brought Ebola to the US was told by the neighbor he had been helping that she had Malaria, if the forms before boarding planes asked have you seen anyone with a flu-like condition in the last month, if so please explain. Many more people would be reluctant to seek help if they get a fever. Let's get rid of mosquitoes with less DDT than locals spread around their neighborhood in the long run.

Liberians in Philadelphia are collecting money to send rubber gloves and masks to Liberia and are trying to get the mayor of Philadelphia involved.

The following is what I would suggest they send instead,

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Grease-Monkey-Large-Gorilla-Grip-Glove-25053-030/202709681?keyword=Grease+Monkey+Max+Fit+Gorilla+Grip+Large+Glove+25053-030
http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Silver_as_an_Antimicrobial_Agent#Surgical_masks
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9403252
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC429689/

If we put our mind to it we can save some of the African traditions and get more cooperation in fighting Ebola when we do it.