Ebola

2014’s Top Global Health Stories—and What They Have to Do with Health Workers

Sarah Dwyer — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 14:20:04 +0000

As 2014 comes to an end, the international development community stands on the cusp of major new progress, particularly in global health and development—but the war and disease that marked this year could hinder that progress for decades to come. Health workers labored on the front lines of some of 2014’s most prominent events, which will likely affect global health and the well-being for all 7 billion of us as we move into 2015 and beyond. So let's take a look back at some of 2014’s biggest global health and development stories. Some good, some bad, all illuminating as we enter the new year.

Author's name:

Margarite Nathe

Publication Date:

December 2014

Why Nigeria’s Response to Ebola Succeeded

Sarah Dwyer — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 13:12:56 +0000

A man arrived by plane in Lagos on July 20. He fell ill at the airport and was taken to a hospital. Shortly afterward he was diagnosed with Ebola, the first case in Nigeria.

Lagos is an enormous city of 22 million, and public-sector doctors were on strike. The number of lives at risk was terrifying.

“If Ebola hits Lagos, we're in real trouble,” warned Laurie Garrett in Foreign Policy, and added that her colleague John Campbell predicted it “would instantly transform this situation into a worldwide crisis.”

Yet August 29 marked the last reported case of Ebola in the country, and the number of confirmed cases topped out at 20, with eight deaths. The incubation period for those who had contact with Ebola patients ended on October 2. After 42 days with no new cases, Nigeria will be officially free of Ebola.

Author's name:

Sarah Dwyer

Publication Date:

October 2014

Social Service Workers Address Ebola’s Widespread Social Impacts

Sarah Dwyer — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 14:47:31 +0000

The number of confirmed cases of Ebola is quickly climbing past 6,200. On September 20, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the historic UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), underscoring how a comprehensive, multisectoral response will be ever more critical as Ebola’s far-reaching health, security, political, economic, and social impacts on West Africa become more evident.

For every person infected, many others are affected—family members lose loved ones, children lose their parents, students lose teachers, employers lose key staff, and scores of responders have witnessed extreme suffering and work in exceedingly stressful environments.

Author's name:

Amy Bess and Alex Collins

Publication Date:

September 2014

Health Professional School Leaders Are Critical in National Health Planning and Policies for Emerging Epidemics

Sarah Dwyer — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 17:07:42 +0000

Health professional school leaders must be seen as a vital health sector resource, and used accordingly.

There have been over 4,000 known Ebola cases in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Senegal, resulting in 2,000 deaths. Of this number over 300 health workers have become sick and roughly half have died. There has been a significant immediate funding response from the international community including an initial $21 million investment in protective gear, chlorine bleach, and food aid, and deployment of CDC and USAID personnel, with additional USAID funding totaling $100 million. Further, there are commitments from the World Bank ($230 million) and the African Development Bank ($60 million).

These financial commitments are critical, but as Stephen Morrison of the Global Health Policy Center, Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote recently, “On the ground, several thousand additional workers capable of implementing emergency disaster programs are needed, and will require protection and expedited training and deployment. These critical elements are needed urgently today, but where will they come from?”

Author's name:

Richard Seifman

Publication Date:

September 2014

For Health Workers on Ebola’s Front Lines, Stress Management is Crucial

Sarah Dwyer — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 16:20:57 +0000

This post originally appeared on VITAL, the blog of IntraHealth International.

Since March 23, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) has tracked the spread of the Ebola virus through Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria.

The United Nations has spent countless hours developing and disseminating information on the risks of transmitting the disease, reassuring the public on how to protect themselves, and publishing a bevy of technical information for health workers.

Publishers such as Elsevier have enabled free access to Ebola-related research to help health workers and researchers control the outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has disseminated information on how health workers can keep themselves safe while caring for Ebola victims.

What no one is talking about, though, is how to help health workers deal with the stress of an Ebola outbreak, especially in areas that suffer from health worker shortages.

Author's name:

John Liebhardt

Publication Date:

September 2014