Posts
------------------------------
WHO's Ebola Rap Sheet; US Tries to Rebuild Trust; and Viruses Ride a Pacific Wave
==============================
EBOLA
WHO’s Rap Sheet
Politics and bureaucracy burden the WHO’s work to stop Ebola, according to a Bloomberg News article based on interviews with 5 anonymous sources familiar with the agency.
The organization’s initial response to the outbreak boils down to 3 shortfalls: poor communication, a lack of leadership and underfunding.
Even Director-General Margaret Chan admits to feeling “very unhappy” when in late June—3 months after the outbreak was detected—she learned the true scope of the health crisis in a memo outlining her local team’s deficiencies.
The WHO is suffering from “a culture of stagnation, failure to think boldly about problems, and looking at itself as a technical agency rather than a global leader,” states Lawrence Gostin, professor of global health law at Georgetown University.
** Bloomberg News (http://jhsph.us3.list-manage.
The Elusive True Death Toll
Haphazard data collection and under-reporting by families are obscuring the true death toll from Ebola in West Africa, said Sorious Samura, a film maker and journalist originally from Sierra Leone who had just returned from Liberia, where he is filming a documentary on the crisis.
He said that it is very hard for people to accept that their cultural burial practices must change. It has prompted some to hide the cause of death of their loved ones so that they can have a traditional burial rather than cremation. Samura also feels that Liberian authorities might be downplaying the death toll to try to ease alarm in the country.
** The Guardian (http://jhsph.us3.list-manage.
Tall Task: Restoring Trust
Newly appointed US Ebola czar Ron Klain must try to soothe Americans’ fears over Ebola, and project a sense of leadership to guide the US response.
Last week’s appointment of Klain, a longtime Democratic aide (including as chief of staff to both Vice President Joe Biden and former Vice President Al Gore), was attacked by Republicans because the czar lacks a medical background. Administration officials defended the pick, maintaining that Klain is a savvy problem solver who can repair coordination between federal agencies and the states.
“This is somebody who knows how to use the bully pulpit that he’s been given. I think that’s probably half of the game,” said Stephen Morrison of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who also said Klain “could help take some heat off public health professionals so they can focus on their jobs while he navigates the politics.”
** Reuters (http://jhsph.us3.list-
Rapid Response, US Military Style
The US will create a 30-person team of medical experts to jump into any US region with new Ebola cases, to support civilian medical teams, the Pentagon announced yesterday.
The Pentagon will dispatch the Northern Command, a unit that is mainly focused on protecting homeland security to Texas first, in case any new cases emerge in the Lone Star State.
** Washington Post (http://jhsph.us3.list-
Related: How many Ebola cases are there really? – ** Science AAAS (http://jhsph.us3.list-
Related: Many Liberian Doctors—Including President’s Son—Are Staying Away – ** Wall Street Journal (http://jhsph.us3.list-
Related: Jihad And Ebola, A Double Threat To The African Miracle – ** Worldcrunch (http://jhsph.us3.list-manage.
Related: Belgium’s main airport to begin Ebola screenings – ** Associated Press (http://jhsph.us3.list-manage.
Related: Liberians Wonder If Duncan's Death Was A Result Of Racism – ** NPR Goats and Soda (http://jhsph.us3.list-manage.
No comments:
Post a Comment