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New Concerns Over Response to Ebola Crisis New Concerns Over Response to Ebola Crisis
(about 17 hours later)
Doctors Without Borders, the medical charity that was among the first to react early and aggressively to the Ebola crisis in West Africa, expressed new concern on Tuesday about what it called a slow and uneven international response that portends further setbacks.Doctors Without Borders, the medical charity that was among the first to react early and aggressively to the Ebola crisis in West Africa, expressed new concern on Tuesday about what it called a slow and uneven international response that portends further setbacks.
The tone of the warning, by Dr. Joanne Liu, the group’s international president, was pessimistic compared with an appraisal made on Monday by the World Health Organization, which said significant progress had been made in reversing the upward trajectory of the disease.The tone of the warning, by Dr. Joanne Liu, the group’s international president, was pessimistic compared with an appraisal made on Monday by the World Health Organization, which said significant progress had been made in reversing the upward trajectory of the disease.
Dr. Liu acknowledged an outpouring of financial and construction help from abroad in the past few months. The United States has led the outpouring, and President Obama exhorted Congress on Tuesday to approve a $6.18 billion funding request.Dr. Liu acknowledged an outpouring of financial and construction help from abroad in the past few months. The United States has led the outpouring, and President Obama exhorted Congress on Tuesday to approve a $6.18 billion funding request.
But Dr. Liu said most of the work of tracking, isolating and treating patients, burying the dead and raising awareness to minimize contagion had fallen to the three poor countries at the heart of the outbreak: Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.But Dr. Liu said most of the work of tracking, isolating and treating patients, burying the dead and raising awareness to minimize contagion had fallen to the three poor countries at the heart of the outbreak: Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Local doctors, nurses and charity workers, some lacking expertise, are still carrying an inordinate burden, she said. While Doctors Without Borders and other groups have offered training, she said, it can take weeks.Local doctors, nurses and charity workers, some lacking expertise, are still carrying an inordinate burden, she said. While Doctors Without Borders and other groups have offered training, she said, it can take weeks.
“We can’t let our guard down and allow this to become double failure, a response that was slow to begin with and is ill-adapted in the end,” Dr. Liu said in a statement posted on the organization’s website.“We can’t let our guard down and allow this to become double failure, a response that was slow to begin with and is ill-adapted in the end,” Dr. Liu said in a statement posted on the organization’s website.
“It is extremely disappointing that states with biological-disaster response capacities have chosen not to utilize them,” she said. “How is it that the international community has left the response to Ebola — now a transnational threat — to doctors, nurses and charity workers?”“It is extremely disappointing that states with biological-disaster response capacities have chosen not to utilize them,” she said. “How is it that the international community has left the response to Ebola — now a transnational threat — to doctors, nurses and charity workers?”
Some infected rural areas of Liberia, she said, have no means to transport laboratory samples. In Sierra Leone, callers to a national hotline are told to isolate suspected patients at home.Some infected rural areas of Liberia, she said, have no means to transport laboratory samples. In Sierra Leone, callers to a national hotline are told to isolate suspected patients at home.
Discounted by some critics as alarmist early in the crisis, Doctors Without Borders has vindicated itself as its warnings have proved accurate. Perhaps the most notable convert was Sierra Leone’s president, Alpha Condé, who once publicly chastised Doctors Without Borders for scaring people but now is one of the most ardent advocates of an aggressive response to the outbreak. Discounted by some critics as alarmist early in the crisis, Doctors Without Borders has vindicated itself as its warnings have proved accurate. Perhaps the most notable convert was Guinea’s president, Alpha Condé, who once publicly chastised Doctors Without Borders for scaring people but now is one of the most ardent advocates of an aggressive response to the outbreak.
Dr. Liu’s new warning came as the World Bank issued a bleak economic prognosis for the Ebola outbreak zone in 2015, and the World Health Organization said the number of infections had surpassed 17,000, with more than 6,000 deaths.Dr. Liu’s new warning came as the World Bank issued a bleak economic prognosis for the Ebola outbreak zone in 2015, and the World Health Organization said the number of infections had surpassed 17,000, with more than 6,000 deaths.
Guinea’s economy will shrink 0.2 percent, compared with a forecast of 4.3 percent growth before the crisis, the World Bank said. Liberia’s is expected to grow 3 percent in 2015, versus a pre-Ebola forecast of 6.8 percent, and Sierra Leone’s to shrink 2 percent, versus an 8.9 percent growth forecast.Guinea’s economy will shrink 0.2 percent, compared with a forecast of 4.3 percent growth before the crisis, the World Bank said. Liberia’s is expected to grow 3 percent in 2015, versus a pre-Ebola forecast of 6.8 percent, and Sierra Leone’s to shrink 2 percent, versus an 8.9 percent growth forecast.