Table 2 The Liberian case

On September 25, 2014, CNN posted on their website a story about a Liberian lady who took care of her entire family—mother, sister, father, and cousin—all of whom were infected. She fed and cleaned them and administered their medication all by herself. She invented her own personal protective equipment (PPE) using local materials known as “trash bags” [40] but did not get infected. Out of 4 patients she nursed, only one died. One may argue that, unlike most informal caregivers, she had some formal nursing training and knowledge, although she had not yet graduated.

The focus of this example is to expand on the following: (i) to illustrate a typical example of gender-specific roles in the African context; (ii) to show how women’s role and their task as caregivers are similar, to some extent, to those of nurses in a hospital setting; and (iii) to emphasize the importance of considering these gender roles when planning and designing health programs within a specific context. http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/25/health/ebola-fatu-family/) [41].