Ebola: The Doctors' Story

Ebola: The Doctors' Story is a 2016 HBO documentary that takes a deep dive into the magnifying glass of the unprecedented Ebola outbreak in West Africa, one of the most devastating public health crises of recent times. Led by a prominent cast - Sophie Okonedo, an award-winning British actress who serves as the narrator, Javid Abdelmoneim, a UK emergency response doctor for Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), and Jay Achar, an infectious diseases specialist also with MSF, the film delivers a heart-wrenching and eye-opening perspective of the reality of the Ebola crisis.

The film follows the painstaking work of Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim and Dr. Jay Achar as they tackle the outbreak at the peak in 2014, who put everything on the line to provide the public with the necessary healthcare. Abdulmoneim and Achar, both representing the reputed international humanitarian-aid organization, Médecins Sans Frontières, work tirelessly around the clock to curtail further transmission of the Ebola virus while they provide medical care for those already infected.

Sophie Okonedo narrates the striking script that portrays the horrifying reality of the struggles faced by these amazing professionals. Through her narration, we get an intimate understanding of the crippling adversity these healthcare providers encountered in an environment where the risk is high and the stakes are even higher.

One of the main strengths of Ebola: The Doctors' Story is its ability to humanize a ghastly medical crisis that had previously been largely stratified and decontextualized through international media opinion and statistics. This documentary reverberates in the viewer’s heart as it portrays how the patients and the healthcare workforce bear the brunt of the disease, above and beyond the quest for survival.

It spotlights the process of putting on and taking off the personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to not contract the disease, a painstaking and nerve-wracking procedure, vital and symbolic of the simultaneous fear and commitment of the healthcare professionals fighting on the frontlines. The film also delves into the psychological toll on the healthcare professionals and captures what it means to deliver healthcare functions in such circumstances.

On one side, Ebola: The Doctors’ Story conveys the palpable fear and despair surrounding the buttressing health crisis. On the flip side, it infuses a sense of hope, endurance and resilience in the face of incredible adversity. It is an authentic portrayal of humanity in its most troubled moments and the will of the human spirit to survive and help others do the same.

The film adopts a largely observational approach, effectively interspersed with interviews of the medical staff involved in the crisis. It lets us truly see the primary care given during the outbreak, not from a news report, but from the raw perspective of the people who were in the thick of it. It is shot in a way that is not for the faint-hearted, with its direct display of the severe implications of this lethal virus.

Unlike most films that look at such health crises from a detached, theoretical perspective, this film puts its audience on the front line, making them virtually part of the critical situation, and giving them an intense, first-hand experience of the gravity of the Ebola outbreak.

Through Ebola: The Doctors' Story, we get an unfiltered, intimate understanding of the heroics, hardship and hope found on the front lines of a dramatic health emergency. It’s a timely reminder of the world's collective ability to respond and collaborate in the face of global health threats and creates an everlasting impact on the viewer, reminding them of the courage and sacrifice of health professionals worldwide.

Overall, Ebola: The Doctors' Story is a stirring, humane and utterly urgent documentary - a testament to the grit, compassion and untiring efforts of on-ground health workers in terrifying global health crises, and a fitting tribute to the victims of the epidemic.