Ebola

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Introduction

Ebola has become a serious public health problem over the last six months. It is a serious problem which raises a lot of concern because it can easily spread to other territories and areas. However, the situation can be controlled if the necessary preventive measures are applied. There have been a very high number of healthy workers who have been affected, and several deaths have been reported in the month on August. However, communities are still resistant when it comes to the adoption of preventive measures mainly as a result of traditional rituals and beliefs for burying the dead. Apart from looking at the complexity of Ebola in Africa the article also highlights on strategies laid out to deal with the epidemic. The article also talks about the measures that have been put in place within the countries that are currently affected which need to be applied at the right place and time.

There are also some recommendations in place of how other countries can prevent Ebola. It is a serious situation that requires all stakeholders to take part. Therefore, the international community can offer assistance especially in the three countries that have been severely affected by the epidemic. The article also highlights on the urgent needs in the countries that Ebola has hit hard. The primary need is health personnel that are trained when it comes to management of Ebola cases in the treatment centers. The community should also come in and join in the fight against Ebola. We expect the Ebola epidemic to be controlled as soon as possible since Africa faces many other health care challenges, and Ebola is taking up all the valuable resources. It includes resources like time that could be used in the prevention of other serious health issues like child and maternal mortalities.

Cause and severity of the issue

Ebola virus disease is an often-fatal, but rare infection that is caused by one among the five Ebola virus strains. The Ebola virus is believed to have been initially transmitted to human beings from bats (Hirschmann, 2007). Though bats are said to be the carriers, the disease is said to have been introduced to humans through secretions, organs, blood and other bodily fluids of different animals that were infected. Apart from bats, the other animals are such as gorillas, monkeys and porcupines. Ebola is not an airborne disease rather it can only be spread through body fluids like vomit, urine, faeces, diarrhea and saliva. It can only be spread through human to human to human transmission through direct contact with an infected person (Bueche, 2004).

As from August 4, 2014 Ebola cases stand at 1,711 with 932 deaths in four of the affected countries. Ebola has an incubation period of between 2 to 21 days before its symptoms explode. In order for this epidemic to be declared over, 42 days have to pass before a case is confirmed. Ebola is a highly infectious disease and hence it posses a high risk of spreading to any part of the globe. For instance, Nigeria has been affected by the disease simply because of a person traveling from Liberia. The example is a clear indication of the existence of the risks of the Ebola threat. Ebola is a serious risk factor, and if it is not mitigated, it can easily swipe of humans from the face of the earth. It spreads quickly and easily and hence a precarious disease (McCormick, 2009).

Intervention

The World Health Organization has taken measures in dealing with the Ebola epidemic in the affected countries and all over the world. It is recommending special measures that countries should take in order to reduce or prevent the spread of Ebola. It is also recommending that people be offered education on the existence of the disease. It also recommends education on means of preventing and protecting oneself from contracting Ebola. Transmission of Ebola occurs from one person to another within communities and also within health facilities. The interventions mainly focus on offering relevant information that will help people protect themselves from the disease and hence break the transmission chain. It is also important to trace contact so as to stop any further spread of the disease. At the level of healthcare facility, staff should be trained on the measures for controlling infection. They should also be well equipped with protective tools and equipment so as to avoid infection (Sanchez, 2007.).

Recommendations

As noted the three African countries that have been affected by Ebola have weak health systems in place. Their community-level capacity is also weak, and transmission mainly occurs in this level. Therefore, it is at this level that strengthening should be done especially in the delivery of healthcare services, the measures of preventing the disease and relevant information. People need to be offered accurate information that should be delivered in the best ways of communication. The resistance and denial of the disease should also be addressed among the populations. People should also be encouraged to change behavior towards the adoption of protective measures that will help in saving their lives. Technological capacity should be strengthened in terms of the laboratories, logistics and treatment. These are not readily available in many of the occasions.

References

Hirschmann, K. (2007). The ebola virus. Detroit, MI: Lucent Books/Thomson Gale.

Bueche, S. (2004). The ebola virus. Farmington Hills, MI: Kidhaven Press.

Sanchez, A. (2007.). Reemergence of Ebola Virus in Africa. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 96-97.McCormick, J. (2009). Ebola Virus Ecology. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 1893-1894.

“The Ebola epidemic is a serious public health problem, but it can still be controlled”. (2014). Pan American Health Organization, 498(16), 145-145.