Liberia – Officially Ebola Free
Last week, Liberia announced that it was officially Ebola free. Almost two months have passed since the last known incident. Even though Guinea and Sierra Leone are still fighting this epidemic, it seems as though the worst is over.
Liberia was one of the worst hit countries – 4,716 out of the total 11,022 death were from Liberia. Luckily, outbreaks do not have to be as bad. They do not have to spread as far or take the lives of so many. If we take the rights steps and put in the right measures, we can become proactive (rather than be reactive) and fight these diseases.
We must remember that disaster relief comes from developed, peaceful countries and goes to places that are poor and conflict-ravaged. Understanding the dynamics of how disaster relief works can be the key to getting the next relief efforts right.
Many experts who study the spread of disease were able to foresee Ebola in war-torn Africa. The signs were pointing towards a possible pandemic; the area is already ravaged by MERS, polio, leishmaniasis, measles and many other infectious diseases. Yet, many disaster relief providers were slow to respond, as if they were shocked to hear the news. And when they did respond, locals were resistant to accept it. Relief workers had to think on the spot and find a way to balance urgency with respect and personal care.
Expert Peter Hotez, the Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College in Houston, calls Ebola a neglected tropical disease (NTD). NTD is prone to emerge in poor, war-torn areas that often happen to be located in the tropics areas. That area has seen outbreaks like Ebola before.
Between the 1970s and 1990s, African Sleeping Sickness took the lives of half a million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (war torn area). A similar situation occurred after the Sudanese Civil War with kala azar, a type of leishmaniasis. Causes – breakdown in social services, preventative medicine and public trust.
If poverty and conflict are two precursors to disease, then aid groups should start working on ways to contain outbreaks in the Middle East and North America immediately. The signs are already showing up in other parts of war-torn areas. Leishmaniasis is finding its way into Syria and Coronavirus has found its way into Yemen. Unfortunately, many of these diseases aren’t just spread through direct contact, they are being transmitted through air.
Solution
The best way to prevent the spread of any virus is to maintain a universal and accessible health care system. Social support webs have to be available. Vaccine programs must be accessible. And health care systems cannot break down. Take a look at Nigeria. It was the first country to quell the Ebola outbreak through a stable medical infrastructure.
Liberia was one of the worst hit countries – 4,716 out of the total 11,022 death were from Liberia. Luckily, outbreaks do not have to be as bad. They do not have to spread as far or take the lives of so many. If we take the rights steps and put in the right measures, we can become proactive (rather than be reactive) and fight these diseases.
We must remember that disaster relief comes from developed, peaceful countries and goes to places that are poor and conflict-ravaged. Understanding the dynamics of how disaster relief works can be the key to getting the next relief efforts right.
Many experts who study the spread of disease were able to foresee Ebola in war-torn Africa. The signs were pointing towards a possible pandemic; the area is already ravaged by MERS, polio, leishmaniasis, measles and many other infectious diseases. Yet, many disaster relief providers were slow to respond, as if they were shocked to hear the news. And when they did respond, locals were resistant to accept it. Relief workers had to think on the spot and find a way to balance urgency with respect and personal care.
Expert Peter Hotez, the Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College in Houston, calls Ebola a neglected tropical disease (NTD). NTD is prone to emerge in poor, war-torn areas that often happen to be located in the tropics areas. That area has seen outbreaks like Ebola before.
Between the 1970s and 1990s, African Sleeping Sickness took the lives of half a million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (war torn area). A similar situation occurred after the Sudanese Civil War with kala azar, a type of leishmaniasis. Causes – breakdown in social services, preventative medicine and public trust.
If poverty and conflict are two precursors to disease, then aid groups should start working on ways to contain outbreaks in the Middle East and North America immediately. The signs are already showing up in other parts of war-torn areas. Leishmaniasis is finding its way into Syria and Coronavirus has found its way into Yemen. Unfortunately, many of these diseases aren’t just spread through direct contact, they are being transmitted through air.
Solution
The best way to prevent the spread of any virus is to maintain a universal and accessible health care system. Social support webs have to be available. Vaccine programs must be accessible. And health care systems cannot break down. Take a look at Nigeria. It was the first country to quell the Ebola outbreak through a stable medical infrastructure.
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