A press release from The Lancet:
Ebola crisis in West Africa have been avoided if governments and health authorities have 2011 World Health Organization Commission acted on global health crisis on the recommendations of a (WHO), according to new research published in The Lancet.
Wrote the commentary by Professor Lawrence Gostin, director of the School of the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, USA, to fund for a renewed international commitment to the emergency systems called health, to prevent another crisis of infectious diseases, together with the financing for the development of sustainable health systems -TERM.
Although the WHO has a plan started to deal with Ebola - began five months after the virus spread to other countries - the application will be delayed even more while $ 490 million will be raised to cover the costs of the fight against the epidemic. At the same time, sets the Ebola virus to spread strained under the health of workers and of the population in countries where health resources were already before the outbreak.
The Audit Committee 2011 WHO World of emergency personnel, supported by $ 100 million in immediate aid from the USA, the necessary rapid initial response, by the Ebola outbreak could contain allowed but the Commission has not of the WHO, the lack of financial commitment by governments of countries with high income demand.
According to Professor Gostin: "How could Ebola outbreak could have been avoided and what the states and the international community to prevent the next epidemic, the answer is no drug is not tested, mass quarantine, and humanitarian If true reasons for the epidemic. was a tragedy of these proportions are the lack of personnel and health systems are weak, is the solution to fix this "intrinsic structural defects.
"A fund of international health systems, dedicated to the broken build more confidence income, better health and economic development, on the cost. This fund would far both emergency preparedness and sustainability of health systems cover."
"The Ebola outbreak in West Africa it could trigger price correction necessary evil world, promotes strong health infrastructure. Yourself changing needs sustainable funding for the establishment of health systems is a smart and cost-effective investment. Is the interests of all States health risks that eventually can reach its shores. interest, but are the commandments of the health and social justice work of the humanitarian response to contain now and in the future. "
The full report is available here in PDF format.