Council of Councils
Think Global Health
Online Store
Introduction
Over the last several decades, governments have collectively pledged to slow global warming. But despite intensified diplomacy, the world is already facing the consequences of climate…
Ebola and West Africa: Three Things to Know
September 29, 2014 12:28 pm (EST)
- Explainer Video
West African governments and aid agencies face a number of challenges in attempting to contain the Ebola epidemic, which health officials say threatens to infect more than one million people by early next year. Containing the outbreak will require a massive international response similar to that coordinated after the 2004 South Asia tsunami. CFR’s John Campbell offers three things to know about Ebola and West Africa:
- Popular Suspicions: Many residents of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia—the epicenters of Ebola—are distrustful of their leaders, and some view the disease as witchcraft, says Campbell. As a result, many Ebola victims and their families have resisted government-led efforts to control the outbreak.
More From Our Experts
- Communication Issues: Governments and aid agencies face major communication problems in West Africa, which is a multilingual region with low literacy levels, explains Campbell. In addition, efforts to educate the population about Ebola were developed late.
- A Global Problem: Governments in the region battling the disease need resources that only foreign partners can provide. "International efforts similar to the global response to the South Asian tsunami could help stop the spread of Ebola in West Africa," says Campbell.
More From Our Experts
Top Stories on CFR
Extraordinary U.S. government incentives are proving popular with many large chipmakers, but it is too early to tell how much of the semiconductor industry can be lured back to the United States.
After two decades in office, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will pass the baton to the ruling party’s chosen successor, who faces a complex geopolitical environment and growing challenges to the party’s leadership at home.
The new U.S. aid package will reestablish a critical flow of weapons to Ukraine’s military, but the war will hinge greatly on which side can ramp up and sustain its firepower and troop numbers in the months ahead.