by Eze Eluchie
Could there be any reasonable excuses why the World Health Organization and its partner public health agencies (particularly the Health Ministries) in the West African sub-region failed to initiate its Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) protocols in a timely manner in response to the outbreak of the Ebola virus across several countries in West Africa?
In response to earlier outbreaks of SARS and the H1N1 viruses in Southeast Asia, WHO had responded with incredible dispatch, in one instance, producing a dubious report which encouraged countries across the world to spend billions of dollars procuring and stocking vaccines which eventually proved useless and a waste.
Is there any reason why the West African Health Organization (WAHO), an arm of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) failed to be proactive and live up to its responsibilities when the current outbreak of the Ebola virus transcended national borders for the first time in the history of the infirmity?
WAHO and Public Health administrators across the West African sub-region, with their penchant and reliance on donor grants for most of their activities, tend only to look into matters that their foreign funders prioritize, irrespective of the domestic needs.
For over a decade, basic health care issues afflicting the vast majority of the populations of sub-Saharan Africa, such as Malaria, Malnutrition, and Cholera were relegated to the background and emphasis and funding support was focused on the HIV/AIDS. In most countries across sub-Saharan Africa, the budget for HIV/AIDS surpasses, by a wide margin, the combined total of the Health Ministry and all other health projects.
With mortality rates that dwarf HIV/AIDS, and means of infection which elicits widespread fear in the population, Ebola presents itself as, and is actually, a far greater danger to society than AIDS ever was. Public Health practitioners are unfortunately faced with an unsavory ‘my-disease-is-worse-than-yours’ situation. Enhancing the quality of life of peoples via good quality education, high public hygiene standards, provision of adequate preventive and primary health care services and facilities, rather than near-exclusive focus on particular ‘fashionable’ diseases will best serve the health interest of any population.
It is hoped that the ongoing experience of the response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak will afford an opportunity to critically examine domestic health crisis response mechanism in Africa to forestall a repeat of the ongoing disaster.
Could there be any reasonable excuses why the World Health Organization and its partner public health agencies (particularly the Health Ministries) in the West African sub-region failed to initiate its Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) protocols in a timely manner in response to the outbreak of the Ebola virus across several countries in West Africa?
In response to earlier outbreaks of SARS and the H1N1 viruses in Southeast Asia, WHO had responded with incredible dispatch, in one instance, producing a dubious report which encouraged countries across the world to spend billions of dollars procuring and stocking vaccines which eventually proved useless and a waste.
Is there any reason why the West African Health Organization (WAHO), an arm of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) failed to be proactive and live up to its responsibilities when the current outbreak of the Ebola virus transcended national borders for the first time in the history of the infirmity?
WAHO and Public Health administrators across the West African sub-region, with their penchant and reliance on donor grants for most of their activities, tend only to look into matters that their foreign funders prioritize, irrespective of the domestic needs.
For over a decade, basic health care issues afflicting the vast majority of the populations of sub-Saharan Africa, such as Malaria, Malnutrition, and Cholera were relegated to the background and emphasis and funding support was focused on the HIV/AIDS. In most countries across sub-Saharan Africa, the budget for HIV/AIDS surpasses, by a wide margin, the combined total of the Health Ministry and all other health projects.
With mortality rates that dwarf HIV/AIDS, and means of infection which elicits widespread fear in the population, Ebola presents itself as, and is actually, a far greater danger to society than AIDS ever was. Public Health practitioners are unfortunately faced with an unsavory ‘my-disease-is-worse-than-yours’ situation. Enhancing the quality of life of peoples via good quality education, high public hygiene standards, provision of adequate preventive and primary health care services and facilities, rather than near-exclusive focus on particular ‘fashionable’ diseases will best serve the health interest of any population.
It is hoped that the ongoing experience of the response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak will afford an opportunity to critically examine domestic health crisis response mechanism in Africa to forestall a repeat of the ongoing disaster.
Picture: Gloves and other apparel used by medical personnel tackling Ebola virus washed and left to dry for subsequent reuse – dearth of resources makes it impossible for disposables to be used. Not so for HIV/AIDS. it is unfortunate those on the frontline of tackling Ebola have to recycle such materials. Disposables would have been far more hygienic. (an AFP Photo/Seyllou. Taken at Guekedou, Guinea, West Africa. April 2014)
No comments:
Post a Comment