The root failure that led to the ebola epidemic

[cali]

For months, starting in March, MSF pleaded with world governments and organizations to address the outbreak in West Africa. They issued numerous, increasingly dire warnings.

These warnings were largely ignored until August. For nearly 6 months, the world tuned its back.

It is too late to prevent what is now a major epidemic. Only by world governments and health organizations focusing on stopping the spread of the disease in Africa, which will take massive resources, will we avoid a pandemic.
The few cases that are here in the U.S. currently, are not a serious threat to public health. The spread of ebola in Africa, is. If there are a million cases, as some models predict, by January, all bets are off. MSF and others says governments still aren't doing enough and that the epidemic is worse than the official numbers depict.


<snip>

Senior United Nations officials briefed the UN Security Council on the Ebola crisis on Tuesday.

Anthony Banbury, head of the UN Ebola mission in West Africa, said the WHO had advised that by Dec. 1 at least 70% of infected people must be at a care facility and 70% of burials done without causing further infection.

"If we reach these targets then we can turn this epidemic around," he told the 15-member council via video link. "I'm grateful for the commitments by member states of civilian and military personnel, of material and of money, but I am deeply, deeply worried that all of this combined is not nearly enough."

<snip>

http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-ebola-epidemic-still-spreading-in-west-africa-world-health-organisation-2026223

<snip>

International health organisations have been woefully, shamefully slow to react. The World Health Organisation (WHO) failed to heed warnings about the severity of the outbreak for months. It only acknowledged the seriousness of the problem on August 8, when it finally declared a global emergency.

The Liberian government has tried to place the blame on its people, arguing that their distrust of healthcare workers, burial practices and disregard for its advice have worsened the outbreak. But that is a simplistic view. The people of these poor nations have been let down by their governments, which have failed to prioritise education and infrastructure development – and the world is now witnessing the results.

Had Ebola started in a Western country rather than Africa, the global reaction, including that of the WHO, would have been different. The West’s response has been terrifyingly myopic. In the globalised world, it was only a matter of time before the infection spread to cities and, from there, to other continents. How could we have been so stupid to think that one of the world’s most virulent diseases wouldn’t affect us?

<snip>

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/ebola/11157645/How-the-world-ignored-Africas-Ebola-tragedy.html

MSF: More have died from Ebola than estimated

<snip>

But MSF says that not enough is being done to curtail the spread and impact of the virus. “We [MSF] are constantly finding ourselves not one but two steps behind in our efforts to try and stop the transmission of Ebola. We’ve heard many big promises from various states and international bodies but a lot of it remains promises which are not translated to action on the ground,” said MSF fieldworker Jens Pedersen.

<snip>

http://mg.co.za/article/2014-10-14-medecins-sans-frontieres-more-have-died-from-ebola-than-estimated

[bullwinkle428]

1. Even that pathetic moron Shrub once made the statement that

"Oceans no longer protect us", yet far too many people (including those who really should know better) still apparently fall victim to that mindset.

K&R.

[cali]

2. and even now are falling victim to it.

It couldn't be more glaringly obvious than it is now and yet the world still hasn't gotten it together.

[Hortensis]

3. 9 of 16 Ebola-struck Medecins sans Frontieres heroes have died. Two nurses treating

one patient in Dallas are infected.

I'm wondering where enough people to stop the epidemic from spreading to a million cases in the next few months are going to come from - this new "in time" goal, now that we failed to stop them when they were tiny outbreaks. Armies of skilled professionals with skilled support are needed.

[cali]

4. It's difficult to see how it can be stopped from reaching that million figure

when you look at the numbers- and those aren't even the real numbers.

[magical thyme]

5. to stop the epidemic and prevent the pandemic, WHO says they need to isolate 70% of cases

By January 1, that would mean isolating at least tens of thousands.

I don't see how that's going to happen.

[cali]

6. kick