UN: We botched response to the Ebola outbreak
Source: AP-Excite
By MARIA CHENG
LONDON (AP) The World Health Organization has admitted that it botched attempts to stop the now-spiraling Ebola outbreak in West Africa, blaming factors including incompetent staff and a lack of information.
"Nearly everyone involved in the outbreak response failed to see some fairly plain writing on the wall," WHO said in a draft internal document obtained by The Associated Press, noting that experts should have realized that traditional infectious disease containment methods wouldn't work in a region with porous borders and broken health systems.
The U.N. health agency acknowledged that, at times, even its own bureaucracy was a problem. It noted that the heads of WHO country offices in Africa are "politically motivated appointments" made by the WHO regional director for Africa, Dr. Luis Sambo, who does not answer to the agency's chief in Geneva, Dr. Margaret Chan.
WHO is the U.N.'s specialized health agency, responsible for setting global health standards and coordinating the global response to disease outbreaks.
FULL story at link.
Medical staff in protective gear escort Nina Pham, exiting the ambulance, to a nearby aircraft at Love Field, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, in Dallas. Pham, a nurse at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, was diagnosed with the Ebola virus after caring for Thomas Eric Duncan who died of the same virus. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141017/eu-med--who_ebola_mistakes-6ad920b39c.html
sharp_stick
(14,400 posts)As soon as this started to take hold in countries that basically have no functioning Government we needed to get in there and we did nothing.
seveneyes
(4,631 posts)Keep the fuel away from the fire. Isolate, seal off and contain it.
ColesCountyDem
(6,943 posts)deutsey
(20,166 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Shows what a empty suit WHO is, also.
Incompetent staff and members who do not even answer to the head of WHO....wow.
Sorta sounds like the CDC is sounding.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)pandemics as part of climate change. Expecting new diseases to appear and threaten the world. What we learn here now is important to keep us prepared for that future. We cannot ignore this warning but instead learn how to stop it in its tracks not only for the people who have ebola now but for use with other diseases coming.
We also need to learn how to work with the researchers to find cures for these issues faster than we have with this one. Maybe the free market will not work in an emergency. They are too interested in the money and not the urgency of the need.
uppityperson
(115,681 posts)lack of information?????
And indeed, porous borders and broken health systems are exactly the problem. So, what'cha gonna do, UN?
Why does this remind me of the Rwandan genocide?
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)The stupid is just stunning these days.