U.S. Actions Towards Ebola

Neslihan Yakut

EbolaEbola is a hemorrhagic disease caused by one of the five Ebola different viruses

It is extremely infectious but not extremely contagious

It is considered a moderate contagious as it is not transmitted through air but only through bodily liquid

The first human outbreak occurred in 1976 in DRC and Sudan when the disease was discovered

Ebola In West Africa

It has been the most widespread epidemic of the disease in history which is still going on

It began in guinea in December 2013 in a small village of Meliendau before spreading to it most nearest neighbor of Sierra Leone and Liberia

As of November 13,2014U.S Spain Guinea Liberia Sierra

Leone

Nigeria Senegal

4 cases

1 death

1 case

0 death

1919

cases

1166 death

6878

cases

812 death

5586 cases

1514 death

20 cases

8 death

1 case

0 death

Social Effects•The disease has affected the countries affected with in their

cultural manners

•The hand shake and hugging among people have been abandoned completely due to fear

•Marriage and funeral ceremonies are no more performed properly as in the normal times

• In some areas people have become suspicious and hostile to health workers, government and hospital as they believe that the disease was imported

Economic EffectsThe 3 countries worst effected are among the world most poorest countries in the world

The world bank has warned that if the disease is not contained it would cost West Africa $32.6 Bn

Sierra Leone Economy has deflated by 30%

The World Bank predicts that Guinea and Liberia GDP growth to fall from 4.5% to 3.5%

Food Shortages

U.S. Responses to Ebola

President Barack Obama has called the Ebola outbreak in West Africa "a threat to global security", as he announced a larger US role in fighting the virus.

The U.S. Global Ebola strategy has four key goals:

1) Control the outbreak,

2) Mitigate second order impacts,

3) Establish coherent leadership and operations, and

4) Advance global health security.

The world was looking to the US, President Obama said that the outbreak required a "global response".

Obama has sent 4000 US troops into west Africa were the deadly disease is having it impact

There are roughly 650 troops on ground in Liberia, which was the worst effected country by the disease

In response to the outbreak the us aid has activated it disaster response team

They have also built a 25 bed hospital in Moravia called the MMU

The US is also working with other large organization such as the UN and EU in the fight of the disease

President Obama said that among other measures, the US would:

Build 17 healthcare facilities, each with 100 beds and isolation spaces, in Liberia

Train as many as 500 health care workers a week

Develop an air bridge to get supplies into affected countries faster

Provide home health care kits to hundreds of thousands of households, including 50,000 that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will deliver to Liberia this week.

The U.S. Agencyfor International Development

The USAID will be deploying a DisasterAssistance Response Team (DART) to WestAfrica to coordinate the U.S. Government’sresponse to the Ebola outbreak.

The team will comprise staff from the Agency’sOffice of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, whowill be overseeing critical areas of the response,such as planning, operations, logistics incoordination with other federal agencies,including the U.S. Departments of Defense andHealth and Human Services.

Members of the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC) will also serve on the DART tolead on public health and medical responseactivities.

USAID supports outreach campaigns toprovide information on Ebola and itssymptoms to the general public and healthworkers in affected countries who may not befamiliar with the disease.

Evaluating U.S. Responses

1

•The Department of State is leading diplomatic engagements; USAID is coordinating U.S. responses, including the provision of financial and material support; CDC is heading public health and medical response activities; and DOD is handling support for foreign armed forces

2

•With the exception of USAID, the budgetary structure of each of these agencies enables them to respond to this unanticipated event by drawing from accounts that have flexible authorities.

3

•USAID often receives specific direction from Congress on how the bulk of its funds will be used through annual appropriations, leaving the agency with limited ability to address unanticipated events, like the current Ebola outbreak, without drawing from ongoing health efforts.

4•USAID has provided $2.1 million to the UN World Health Organization and UNICEF

for the deployment of more than 30 technical experts and other Ebola response efforts.