At the height of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, Sinead Walsh and Oliver Johnson both found themselves on the front line of a global crisis: Walsh as Ireland's ambassador to Sierra Leone and Liberia, and Johnson as a doctor and advisor to the Sierra Leonean government. From treating patients in an under-equipped Freetown hospital, to taking part in policy discussions at the highest level, each was to witness the crisis first-hand as it unfolded both on the ground and on the world stage.
In Ebola Met Me Here, Walsh and Johnson provide an unprecedented insider's account of the humanitarian response to the Ebola epidemic. Whilst exposing often shocking shortcomings both within the international community and at the local level, they also highlighting the immense courage of those who put their lives on the line to contain the disease.
Drawing on their own experiences as well as interviews with the key players involved, theirs is the definitive account of the fight against an epidemic that shook the world.
About the Author
Sinead Walsh served as Ireland’s ambassador to Sierra Leone and Liberia at the height of the Ebola epidemic. She is currently a senior visiting fellow at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative.
Industry Reviews
Getting to Zero is a compelling read, full of compassion, grief, ingenuity and stories of courage and unstinting commitment of local nurses, cleaners and others who remain unsung heroes of Ebola. But it is also full of tales of denial, extraordinary lapses in leadership and awkward truths that will make uncomfortable reading for many, locally and internationally. * Guardian *
Written in an honest and engaging tone, their experience behind the scenes of the outbreak is illuminating and highlights important lessons for the management of future outbreaks, and the operational errors that increased the number of lives lost in the west African outbreak of 2014-16. * Lancet *
Hundreds of reports have been written on the 2014 epidemic - the most widespread Ebola outbreak since the virus was discovered - but none is nearly as insightful, compassionate or unsparing as this. * Irish Times *
A brave, bold, yet humble account from the frontlines of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. This is vital reading to help us all do better next time. * David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee *
Courage in extreme clinical danger, courage to challenge obstructive bureaucracy, courage to make tough decisions and the courage to endure. This is the courage that Sinead Walsh and Oliver Johnson displayed in Sierra Leone. Their compelling book is essential reading for all who care about global health. * Eldryd Parry, founder of the Tropical Health and Education Trust *
A captivating and brutally honest account of the Ebola epidemic from two brave, committed individuals who unexpectedly found themselves at its epicentre. The authors pull no punches, and leave us asking: will these lessons be learned, or will the world once again forget and move on? * Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust *
This powerful book asks important questions about aid and development and offers insights that everyone working in global health should absorb - as well as being a personal and very moving account of an epidemic that killed thousands. * Lord Nigel Crisp, Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health *
Walsh and Johnson represent the best of international intervention. This book reveals the complexities and level of cooperation that made "getting to zero" possible. Offers excellent insight into those trying times. * O.B. Sisay, Director of the Situation Room at the National Ebola Response Centre, Sierra Leone *
An extraordinary account from the thick of the battle against Ebola. This is history's first draft, and a powerful example of persistent and pragmatic leadership. Mandatory reading for anyone concerned with global health in the broadest sense. * Paul Farmer, Harvard Medical School, and co-founder of Partners in Health *
Takes us behind the scenes to the harrowing frontlines of the Ebola epidemic - highlighting a set of lessons that an inter-connected world would ignore at our peril. A compelling read. * Samantha Power, former US Ambassador to the UN *
A detailed, up-close-and-personal perspective on the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone, important for all who want to understand what it is to confront a terrible health threat. * Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, and former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention *
Johnson and Walsh provide a frank, beautifully written, and essential guide to the lessons learned from the heart of the outbreak. Their first-hand experiences in battling this terrible disease will take your breath away. A must read. * Tulip Mazumdar, Global Health Correspondent for BBC News *
