According to a recent survey conducted by Afrobarometer, 75% of Sierra Leoneans believe that the government has handled the COVID-19 pandemic better than the 2014 Ebola outbreak. This sentiment was shared by a vast majority of the local population in the West African nation.
The Ebola outbreak, which lasted for two years, claimed the lives of over 3,700 people in Sierra Leone. In contrast, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in 125 deaths in the country. The survey results suggest that the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic was viewed more favorably than its handling of the Ebola epidemic.
However, the survey also highlighted that only a small portion of households in the country benefited from relief assistance during the pandemic. Additionally, it was noted that the distribution of relief assistance was unfair due to corruption.
Afrobarometer, an Accra-based research firm, has been conducting surveys in Sierra Leone for several years. The firm's focus areas include democracy, governance, and the economy, with funding from the Swedish government. Afrobarometer partners with various civil and educational institutions in the African region to conduct its research.