
DR Congo Ebola outbreak declared public health emergency - yasp
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-49025298
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singularity2001
"The PHEIC emergency provision is the highest level of alarm the WHO can sound
and has only been used four times previously."

"the risk of the disease spreading outside the region was not high. there
should be no restrictions on travel or trade"

They should re-gauge their alarm levels.

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blunte
Yeah, I don't get it either. If this is a really high alert, and spread risk
is high, wouldn't that be exactly the time you would restrict travel?

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blunte
Since they explain that some people don't seek treatment because distrust of
foreigners (doctors) is high, why not teach/train local clinics to provide the
services so foreign doctors can leave and patients can feel comfortable
getting help?

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emiliobumachar
First thing that comes to mind is: training doctors and nurses is hard and
takes very long.

How much less than full health professionals can do more good than harm? And
how long can we wait for their training?

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blunte
Sure, it's not something you do when the problem arises - it's something
(training) you do now and which pays off later.

This is not the first Ebola outbreak, and knowing of the culture of foreign
distrust is not a new surprise, so I think training and preparation should
have been going on for years.

Ultimately, wealthy countries need to provide education and support to help
developing countries fulfill their own needs in the future. It's a never
ending struggle to try to swoop in and solve a problem, then leave when the
immediate need has been met.

