More effort needed to deal with Ebola

As this devastating virus spreads, steps must be taken to avoid an epidemic.

The fast spread of the Ebola virus from a remote corner of Guinea to the capital and into neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone requires coordinated action to contain the virus. On Tuesday, the World Health Organisation announced that the number of deaths attributed to the current epidemic had increased to 467, out of more than 700 known cases detected in more than 60 separate locations across the three countries. Worryingly, the number of deaths rose by 17 per cent in a single week, making it West Africa’s deadliest Ebola outbreak on record.

WHO has organised an emergency meeting between 11 West African health ministers in Ghana this week to assess the situation and plan activities among the affected countries. Certainly cross-border collaboration is fundamental to containing the spread of Ebola across the African continent, but meetings alone will not solve the problem. There should also be more efforts to control the virus in each of the affected countries, where panic, fear and misinformation is widespread. The lack of understanding about how the disease is transmitted allows many to continue to travel to places where control measures are not in place.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says it is under more pressure than ever, since it’s believed to be the only aid organisation providing treatment for people affected by the virus, which can kill up to 90 per cent of those infected. The group has warned that the outbreak was “out of control”.

Regaining control will be difficult and requires more action by other aid organisations, principally the World Health Organisation. Calling a meeting is one thing, but the areas struggling to beat back the virus are too poor to properly fight back without outside help. What is required are more medical professionals and more mobile hospitals on the ground to treat patients and train local doctors.

Similarly, more personal protective equipment and medical supplies have to be made available and supplemented by more awareness campaigns in areas where infection rates are high or rising. A screening process also needs to be introduced. The epidemic must be controlled before it spreads to the rest of West Africa.