"When the Ebola outbreak started, it was very terrifying for everybody," recalls Michael Chu'no Ike from Nsukka in Nigeria's Enugu State. "People were afraid it could be transmitted by air and started believing all sorts of rumors about how to boost their immunity." The virus has killed over 5,100 people worldwide, eight of which have been in Nigeria. While his home country has been declared Ebola free, Ike is creating a voice messaging system to raise awareness about the killer disease in the worst effected countries: Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. "Over 70% of people in West Africa live in rural and semi-urban areas," explains Ike, founder of the HaltEbola mobile service. "These groups usually do not have access to internet but they have good mobile phone coverage. Therefore, we saw the effectiveness in using the oldest means of communication -- voice -- to reach people."
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The deadly Ebola virus has killed over 5,100 people worldwide during this outbreak
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African business leaders have committed $28 million and logistical support to fight the virus
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Voice-messaging systems are being developed to educate people in their local language about how to avoid infection
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Music is being used as a means to spread the message about Ebola
@placeholder's vision is to reach people who are afraid to call authorities and ask for help -- the plan is that citizens will receive a call from HaltEbola, but instead of getting advice from a foreign doctor, they will hear a recorded message from local celebrities.
Ike's vision is to reach people who are afraid to call authorities and ask for help -- the plan is that citizens will receive a call from @placeholder, but instead of getting advice from a foreign doctor, they will hear a recorded message from local celebrities.