The first officially recognized outbreak of Ebola
virus disease (EVD) was in Yambuku and surrounding area in
Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1976. There were 280 cases with 88%
fatality. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (USA),
there have been more than ten other serious outbreaks of EVD after that initial
case with the ongoing outbreak across multiple countries in West Africa being
the worst. Figures from the CDC showed that the first EVD outbreak recorded both
the highest number of cases and fatality, that is, until the ongoing 2014 outbreak
which has recorded 8400 cases (4656 laboratory-confirmed cases) with 4033
deaths as at the time of writing this piece. The figures are likely to have
increased at this time.
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Ebola virus. Photo credit: Channels TV
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EVD has been transported to Europe and the US with
citizens in these and other areas, especially the US, getting paranoid. As a
fallout of the outbreak, people with symptoms resembling the disease have
thrown many countries into the panic mode. Many of these people were often
later found to be without the disease. The other day my lab mate in here came
in very worried and disturbed and asking why, why, why? She asked why someone
with EVD should come to Brazil to expose the nation to the risk. The man was
later found to be without the disease. Many countries, including those with the
big brother profile have had to turn away people coming from West Africa and deny
them participation in sport, academic and other programmes even where there are
evidences that they are EVD free. Recently a school in US refused admission to
a Nigerian who had been previously granted one on the basis of Ebola despite
the fact that the county is now free and the US is the one now having cases of
Ebola.
Americans have gone hysterical online about the cases
being reported in their countries with about 60% of them calling for a ban on
travel flights from West Africa. The CDC, so far, has said it saw no wisdom in such
a step. The disease was brought to Nigeria. Citizens in the country also called
for ban on flights, closure of borders and the like but the government did not
budge. Today the country is free. The world is so small and too interconnected
a place for travel bans to have effective and long lasting impact in containing
the disease. The nations of the world need to arise and proactively find
solution to this debacle instead of shutting themselves in and relying on isolationist
measures. True, each country ought to act in its best interest and protect its
citizen from epidemics and there should not be needless and senseless exposures
especially in times like these but the overall good and long-term impacts of any
interventionist measures should be taken
into consideration.
The current EVD epidemic has revealed a number of things:
The sorry state of the health system in some countries and their
helplessness in the face of a major challenge
Despite international assistance (although highly
inadequate initially), Liberia and Sierra Leone caved in under the pressure of
EVD recording skyrocketing increases in spread and fatality. It is heart
rending to observe EVD decimating families and disrupting societal life in
these countries with the government unable to really provide concrete help to citizens.
Though EVD is incurable, better health care system with good epidemiology and
public health units, good facilities and adequate number of health personnel
would have really made a significant difference in the affected countries.
The selfishness (or is it the self-preservation instincts) of
some people and nations
It is during the bad and trying times that one
actually knows true friends. The affected countries have been stigmatized.
Vociferous calls for flight bans to and from the affected region echo all over the
US and some other countries. Airlines suspended operations (perhaps this is
reasonable) in the affected areas and some airline staff members refused to go
to these countries. Recently a school in US refused admission to a Nigerian who
had previously been granted one on the basis of EVD despite the fact that the
county is now free and the US is the one now having cases of the disease. There
have also been cases of denial of citizens of affected countries from
participation in international events in other countries even when they are
certified free of Ebola.
While some of these countries have actually provided
aid in other forms, many others have just been observing the unfolding scenario
on the side-lines. The question is would people calling for isolation of the
EVD ravaged countries have appreciated this type of call assuming it had been
the other way round?
The selflessness and gallantry of many healthcare workers and
volunteers
The casualty among health care workers has been very
high. The gallantry and sacrifice of these people shine brilliantly against the
backdrop of the selfish who don’t even remember to pray but are only clamouring
for the isolation and other self-preservation measures. WHO health officers,
volunteer and missionary health workers as well as indigenous health offices
have laid their lives on the line.
The sober question
The question that keeps coming to mind is why Africa?
Should Africa, especially sub Saharan Africa always be at the receiving end of all
negatives? Should Africa always be helpless and looking for help? Yes, maybe
there is no nation that can go it alone in the face some major disasters but it
seems a lot is still intrinsically wrong with sub Saharan Africa. Corruption,
underdevelopment and backwardness in research and education need to be addressed
otherwise this region will continue to flop. It is time for Africa to shake off
the negative tags used attached to it, especially by the Western press and take
its destiny in its own hands?
The solution
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Cases of the Ebola virus have mostly been concentrated in West Africa; however, there have been reported scares everywhere from JFK International Aiport to Hong Kong.
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The solution to the present EVD debacle is an
effective drug or vaccine. Pharmaceutical companies will want their profits.
They are entitled to it. But they should not make profits at the expense of human
lives. Make the drugs, make them available and sell at whatever price you want.
But they should not hoard it and be lying that it is not available just for
things to get worse so that they can make more money.
The whole world should see the ongoing outbreak as a
worldwide problem. No country is immune as events are showing recently. If an
effective drug or vaccine does not become widely available very soon, EVD will
be dropping by to say hello to more countries no matter how tight they shut
their doors.
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