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The current outbreak and uncontrolled spread of Ebola in West Africa can be regarded as a curse and a blessing. Because ebola was first identified in 1976; with an unusual high case fatally rate one would assume considerable treatment progress but due to the small case load (a typical rare disease) and the outbreaks in developing countries Ebola is a neglected tropical disease.
A strong primary healthcare system improves the health of citizens, creates better living conditions, educates the public and reduces disease outbreak and disease spread. A strong primary healthcare system can contain an infectious disease epidemic because the system is embedded in society. In the last two decades established primary healthcare systems have struggled to retain support; the focus has been transferred to fighting diseases, to secondary healthcare systems. And since the millenium goals malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/Aids have been given centrestage leaving local healthworkers to cope with regular ‘killers’ such as diarrhea and pneumonia.
The blessing of the current situation is that large resources are channeled towards treatment and containment of Ebola. Indeed the general public and Ebola patient profit from every scientific advancement. Furthermore the World Health Organisation can coordinate the global response in all its facet thereby enhancing their expertise and multilateral position.
The curse of the current situation is that serious attention to Ebola is only forthcoming when citizens of Western countries are at risk. The current resources are not provided in order to reduce humanitarian suffering of West African citizens (a welcome side-effect) but to contain the disease spread to affluent OECD countries. Moreover today’s international control of the Ebola epidemic imposes ‘Western’ norms, values and rules on the West African nations. The urgency may warrant such imposition yet in the proces one may lose the heart and mind of those West Africans whose indigenous norms, values and rules are discarded.
While applauding every progress made in Ebola disease control I plead for retrospection on low emphasis on primary healthcare, few resources for neglected tropical disease and, last but not least, respecting indigenous norms and values in healthcare provision.
Re: Ebola outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern, WHO warns
Dear Sir
The current outbreak and uncontrolled spread of Ebola in West Africa can be regarded as a curse and a blessing. Because ebola was first identified in 1976; with an unusual high case fatally rate one would assume considerable treatment progress but due to the small case load (a typical rare disease) and the outbreaks in developing countries Ebola is a neglected tropical disease.
A strong primary healthcare system improves the health of citizens, creates better living conditions, educates the public and reduces disease outbreak and disease spread. A strong primary healthcare system can contain an infectious disease epidemic because the system is embedded in society. In the last two decades established primary healthcare systems have struggled to retain support; the focus has been transferred to fighting diseases, to secondary healthcare systems. And since the millenium goals malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/Aids have been given centrestage leaving local healthworkers to cope with regular ‘killers’ such as diarrhea and pneumonia.
The blessing of the current situation is that large resources are channeled towards treatment and containment of Ebola. Indeed the general public and Ebola patient profit from every scientific advancement. Furthermore the World Health Organisation can coordinate the global response in all its facet thereby enhancing their expertise and multilateral position.
The curse of the current situation is that serious attention to Ebola is only forthcoming when citizens of Western countries are at risk. The current resources are not provided in order to reduce humanitarian suffering of West African citizens (a welcome side-effect) but to contain the disease spread to affluent OECD countries. Moreover today’s international control of the Ebola epidemic imposes ‘Western’ norms, values and rules on the West African nations. The urgency may warrant such imposition yet in the proces one may lose the heart and mind of those West Africans whose indigenous norms, values and rules are discarded.
While applauding every progress made in Ebola disease control I plead for retrospection on low emphasis on primary healthcare, few resources for neglected tropical disease and, last but not least, respecting indigenous norms and values in healthcare provision.
Competing interests: No competing interests