We need your help to find an #end2ebola

Ebola is wreaking havoc in an emboldened and frightening manner. As I sat in the US and read the worsening headlines, I felt both removed and powerless. Through many conversations, I learned of the suffering in West Africa, rampant lack of information and awareness, and the complacency in the Western World. But most importantly, the inspiring stories of those on the ground caring for the victims and whose actions tell us that we will eradicate the virus.

Inaction is Unacceptable…

The virus is powerful, but it can be stopped. It is spread primarily via physical contact with the bodily fluids of an infected patient, and to a lesser extent via touch or contaminated surfaces. It cannot be transmitted through air particles.

Inaction is unacceptable and we must come together at a breakneck speed to eradicate Ebola. Why?

First, the virus has a very powerful compounding effect. While not taking away from the case in the Western world, where the loss of life is in the single digits, the process of quarantine and contact tracing are manageable. Additionally, the Western world has isolation units, personnel, equipment, and medical resources to do so.

However, in West Africa, the current number of reported cases is 8,400 including 4,000 deaths (source: WHO and likely underreported) and growing at a feverish pace. Think about the challenges to contact tracing/resourcing/personnel and layer on the fact that this region has been besieged by civil war and lacks even basic healthcare infrastructure. As David Nabarro, Special Coordinator to the UN said:

“Every dollar spent now may well be worth more than $20 or $30 spent in a few month’s time.”

Every day that goes by means more cases, more doctors, prevention kits, and more resources, which is why we must try to stop it NOW. The first reported case was in March; it’s October, why are we still waiting?

… And the International Community has been slow to step up

Second, the International donor community has not stepped up. Governments are moving at a glacial pace, social media is mildly apathetic, and the discourse in the Western world has shifted towards how we should defend ourself.

Why is this the case? First, unlike other recent human catastrophes (the Haiti Earthquake and the Japanese Tsunami) there has not been a very specific start and end date, at which point rebuilding could quickly ensue. The shapeshifting nature of the virus and the lack of an accompanying narrative of rebuilding has probably left Western donors reluctant to participate. Donors want to play offense, not defense. Furthermore, Haiti/Japan had the characteristics of a “not in my backyard” crisis — we never feared that the spillover would hit our country. The same cannot be said here. We must change this.

Finally, this is a deeply human crisis. One of the ways in which we express love is through touch, particularly in times of struggle, despair, and particularly death. Yet, in what may be the virus’ deepest injustice, Ebola deprives its victims and their loved ones of their basic human right to communicate love. An infected parent cannot hug their child to bring the physical comfort of the phrase “it’s going to be ok.” The human side of this crisis is fuel to a rapidly burning fire — it’s also a reminder that eradicating the virus (as if it wasn’t hard enough) is going to have to be done in a compassionate manner that coexists with local traditions and basic emotional needs.

Courage and Creativity… and Grit

Human beings are a tenacious and inspiring bunch and I’ve been inspired by the courage and creativity that have risen out of this crisis both on the ground and abroad. Katie Meyler from More than Me has visually documented the grit and resourcefulness of her organization and the Liberian people, be it setting up sleeping partitions to monitor children to shuttling patients around in their one ambulance.

When faced with their own case of Ebola, the town of Harbel, Liberia came together built makeshift isolation units, created protective suits, and used all available resources (including, gasp, “the Internet”) to first contain the crisis to the sole victim and then bring in additional infected patients from neighboring villages. Dr. Brendan Flannery, Head of US CDC and Prevention team in Liberia called the efforts “resourceful, innovative, and effective.”

Fatu Kekula, a 22 year old Liberian nurse in training, saved three of four relatives who were infected despite absence of treatment options at hospitals. She improvised her own protective gear using trash bags, a technique currently being experimented with by international aide workers.

And closer to home, organizations such as The Ebola Survival Fund backed by Jeffrey Wright and Tiffany Persons have partnered with Dr. Paul Farmer, Partners in Health and numerous other on the ground organizations and have linked the emergency response to the longer-term development of the local health care systems.