The Ebola outbreaks in west Africa will forever remain the shame of the international community. Six months ago, it was clear that the three affected countries were struggling and desperately needed help. At that point the outbreaks could have been contained and controlled. Yet WHO (and UN) sat on its backside. And waited until they were out of control and after thousands of deaths to declare a global emergency. Far far too late. Even now there is a scandalous lack of help from most developed countries. The US, UK, and just a few others. What's happened to the solidarity of nations? The Ebola global fund has only received a small fraction needed. Most of the western governments who have stayed in the sidelines should be ashamed of their response. Not least the officials at the top of WHO and the UN. Forever remembered by history as useless incompetents at a time when leadership was needed.
I doubt it tbh. They were as useless when it came to malaria, West Nile, AIDS and many other diseases which primarily spread from Africa, but no one remembers most of the officials involved. Ebola is likely to end up similar to the others - largely treated and contained by western medicine, yet left to run rampant in Africa with only charities giving a f** about it. And to be honest that's not entirely the fault of the leaders. How many people in the UK, US or EU would voluntarily take a tax increase or see spending on their healthcare cut to fund the necessary spending on infrastructure and staff to actually treat the disease at source? I can see the S*n headline now "UK waiting times rise by one week to fund treatment of potential future illegal immigrants. Everyone OUTRAGED". The sad fact is that there never had been, nor ever will be, solidarity among nations. Nations act in their own self interests, as the majority of their population demands that they do.
Doesn't help that on the ground this is the main conspiracy that is being believed: This sad story puts the Red Cross out of business.
I think I once played a video game where that was the plot... It is a good point tho' - western governments are often damned if they do, damned if they don't. I remember after the Haitian earthquake where the Yanks built a new airstrip to increase the flow of aid into the country. Rumours abounded that the new airstrip was being used to prepare an invasion / smuggle diamonds / other non specific excuse for anti Americanism that I'm sure Sisu will soon enlighten me about. Hardly surprising that when attempts to help are met with cries of "imperialism" and "racism" and "it's all about the oil" that western governments tend to say "go **** yourselves then"
These are the sort of barriers the people dealing with these outbreaks had to put up with. Misinformation and rumours. However when deaths and illness are occurring, most people (unfortunately not all) are sensible enough to separate fact from fiction. This does not excuse the fact that the multinational organisations who were supposed to help (WHO and UN) did nothing until 6 months too late. Swarbs's point about self interest of nations is so damn true. The US and UK governments only got involved because they were afraid that their countries would be affected by the disease?
Surely the governments do not think that? Some of the populations may do. The governments of these 3 countries were fully aware of the problems and if help was being provided or offered six months ago, it is very unlikely they would have screamed "racists or imperialists or theives" as they were asking for help even then.
Even if the governments are aware of it, they usually don't have enough control over the country to keep the peace. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...le-burying-dead-bodies-in-guinea-9754140.html That's the nightmare no western government wants to get into - having to defend their own soldiers and medics from mobs of civilians, knowing that anything that goes wrong will immediately be blamed on them.
Disease in africa spreads like wildfire. The entire country is based on tribal principles and entire villages of people are at risk because the oldest members of the village are often tye leaders. This means the leaders are often most likely to fall ill and thus spread tye infection further.
Wish we would stop wasting billions on aid though as its effects are non existent. Money and hand outs clearly dont work so another method must be tried. No idea what it might be though. Education?
This is not about aid. This is about dealing with an emergency that is currently killing thousands (and could have been predicted to do so). If there is a natural disaster (like an earthquake or a tsunami) with thousands dead and more injured, would the world not mobilise to help? these outbreaks are even worse because the affected people are increasing exponentially.
Nigeria sorted the Ebola crisis out with no outside help, why you ask, because they are educated, Liberia's people are as thick as a scouser. Its only got bad due to ignorance of the people who live there.
At the risk of being pedantic, Africa is a continent not a country. And as someone living in Africa (South Africa to be exact), It's hardly accurate to portray the entire continent as hut-dwelling tribal communities. You do have a point though, obviously third world countries are nowhere near equipped to deal with a major disease outbreak, and hence the need for aid from first world countries. Seriously? I really hope you aren't implying that the disease spreads because people are stupid or uneducated in poor countries? A dirt-poor country with virtually zero healthcare is always going to be susceptible to all manner of serious diseases. As a result of them being poor they will have very low education standards, but it's a by-product of being poor, not a cause of disease.
Not at all bit because poor people lack hygiene and healthcare. The aid obviously doesnt go on what it should but more often than not it goes into the hands pf war lords and criminals. The system of aid does not work. And yes i am aware its a continent. No idea why i wrote country. Its an impossible situation though. Ebola will be curbed bit soon enough something else will happen and then something else. What do you do? Remove the pointless leadership in most african nations? Sens more and more money without knowing of its actually going to those who actually need it? Send aid rather than money (doesnt help as the war lords often get it and end up with more power as people are desperate). Its not impossible that change can happen. Europe was once as poor as africa. Divided, plagued by war and disease. We had to go backwards before we got to this point though. Can africa as a continent do the same? Plenty of suffering before we find out.
Before we start throwing money abroad, should we not look at our own problems first? We have OAP's who cant afford winter fuel bills, the elderly being poorly treated in nursing homes, and and NHS system where patients live or die by post code lottery. Our police force never have a problem catching motorists doing 34mph in a 30 limit, yet they cannot protect children at risk in Sheffield, Rotherham & Manchester. We have ambulance chasing and human rights lawyers getting yearly salaries that the rest of us would be more than happy with over a decade. Immigration is out of control,and likely to get worse. When our own house is in order, perhaps then is the time to look at other counties problems.
Goodness knows we have true poverty here, the NHS needs more money, lots of people are unemployed and the number of food banks are increasing. BUT we are talking of an emergency that if not tackled today (not in a week's time or even tomorrow) will KILL tens and even hundreds of thousands men, women and children. I am not exaggerating when I say it is like seeing one's neighbour's house slowly being consumed by a fire. Are you and I going to stand by and say it is not our business or are we going to try to get the people out of the fire?
Christian, having been involved with a major charity for over 10 years in my misspent 20s &30's, I have seen the evidence of millions being blow away by other countries when given so called UK aid. That convinced me that we have to look after our own first, and then, when all is OK in the UK, then consider helping others out.
