Caught in a Storm: The World Health Organization and 2014 Ebola Outbreak Case Study Solution
Caught in a Storm: The World Health Organization and 2014 Ebola Outbreak is a case study that examines the 2014 Ebola epidemic, and suggests a number of recommendations to help governments and organizations respond. It examines the factors that caused the outbreak, and provides an analysis of the impact on the health of the global population. Ultimately, the solution recommended in the study is to ensure that the World Health Organization is ready to respond, and to build and improve its capacity.
Problem Statement
The 2014 Ebola outbreak was a shock to the West African health system. It is estimated that over 28,000 infections were contracted, with at least 11,000 deaths. This epidemic was the largest of its kind. A large portion of the mortality was among health care workers. In addition, a significant number of patients died without access to care.
While the global community responded with considerable resources, the epidemic proved difficult to contain. As a result, governments in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone had to resort to military intervention.
Despite this, the outbreak was a wake-up call for the international community. The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2177 in mid-September, calling for the creation of a UN Mission for Ebola. International organizations and foreign governments pledged to help with research, diagnostics, and containment efforts.
However, the world has yet to see the full impact of the efforts. The hardest-hit countries face widespread chaos. Their weak health systems are not equipped to handle the outbreak. Moreover, they are in danger of collapsing.
One key challenge is ensuring that the most vulnerable populations have adequate access to medical care. To this end, the US Department of State and the World Health Organization have established an Ebola Center of Excellence in Monrovia. The center is headed by a highly qualified emergency manager.
Meanwhile, the US government is preparing to invest $75 million in additional funding for the Ebola response. These funds will go toward airlifting more medical and emergency supplies, providing personal protective equipment, and increasing the number of Ebola treatment units.
Case Study Solution
As the 2014 Ebola outbreak reaches a close, it is worth examining the factors that contributed to the outbreak's spread. Amid an unprecedented level of demand, the international response capacity was strained. This highlighted the need for more global health diplomacy.
The first outbreak, in Guinea, spread rapidly. In a country where public health infrastructure is poor, the virus had an easier time spreading. It also was more easily spread across borders.
Amid a civil war, basic health facilities were destroyed and the public health infrastructure was severely compromised. People were forced to rely on traditional healers. They also took to hiding patients in their homes.
Another reason for the outbreak's spread was the lack of surveillance. Despite health messages urging people to seek medical care, many refused.
Another key cause of the outbreak was the high fatality rate. Many health workers were infected. These staff acquired the disease while working in the community.
Another factor was the lack of access to treatment centres and hospitals. Most of the facilities that provided treatment looked more like prisons than a place of health care.
In addition to the high fatality rate, the Ebola outbreak highlighted the need for aggressive supportive care. These include correction of electrolyte imbalances and rehydration. With more treatment centres now open, the chances of survival are improving.
However, the outbreak also demonstrated the need for effective surveillance. Contact tracing required the identification of all persons who had contact with an EVD case. The process requires continuous monitoring for 21 days.
Porters Five Forces
The 2014 Ebola outbreak was a tale of two halves, but not necessarily. There were the usual suspects, as well as a host of lesser known players in the fray. The Ebola virus is not an ideal host for the likes of a healthy local, and the resulting blight was an unpleasant and costly experience for all involved. Even so, a well coordinated effort by the international community proved to be a successful and cost effective agglomeration. This is particularly true of the aforementioned afflicts, who were tasked with the unenviable task of containing the nascent disease. Despite the challenges they surmounted, the aforementioned triumvirate of ebola teetered at the finish line in the end of the day, and the aforementioned tyro was the best dressed of the lot. Despite a hefty financial and operational budget, a successful and resilient response to the aforementioned catastrophe is the best news of all. Fortunately, the aforementioned thorn in the side can be seen as a welcome and long overdue opportunity to refocus the energy and attention of the aforementioned aforementioned afflicts to the benefit of the host aforementioned afflicts.
PESTLE Analysis
The Ebola outbreak of 2014 was a tale of two halves, but one could make an educated guess that the human species is finally on the mend. While the human population numbers in the double digits, the world has never been more aware of the state of health. To make matters worse, poor surveillance and lack of funding have made tracking and treating the virus a thankless task. One can only hope that the good old days are a distant memory. With the exception of Ebola, there have been no major epidemics since the turn of the century.
As far as the feasible Ebola outbreak is concerned, there is no single solitary cure for the disease. There have been some notable successes, however, such as preventing the spread of Ebola in Nigeria. Despite this, the Ebola virus has resurfaced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Gambia. The most recent bout lasted from December to January, but it seems the outbreak is on the backburner with the likes of its predecessors. However, the Ebola virus has been contained to a limited extent and a well-designed response plan can only help. This is good news for Guineans on both sides of the border.
One should also consider the many lesser known Ebola-stricken nations in the West African subregion. It's a matter of time before the region's last surviving Ebola victim returns to his or her former glory, but the specter remains a looming scourge.
Financial Analysis
The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the largest and most complex Ebola epidemic in history. Its impact was catastrophic, causing tragic loss of life and economic damage. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) deployed a staggering array of resources. However, despite the efforts, the organization had some significant shortcomings.
WHO's response to the Ebola outbreak demonstrated a failure to coordinate international action. Many partners took on responsibilities that went beyond their traditional roles. These ranged from building safe treatment centers to training healthcare workers to organizing volunteer support. As a result, gaps emerged and important questions were raised.
The WHO also failed to effectively implement the "WHO Roadmap," a blueprint developed to speed the end of the epidemic. While the roadmap had ambitious goals, such as bringing the outbreak to a rapid conclusion in six to nine months, its execution fell short.
The Ebola epidemic was driven by factors including the geographical dispersion of the virus, the public's misperceptions about the disease, and the outbreak's evasive behaviour. It also posed challenges for conventional control measures.
Nevertheless, the World Health Organization (WHO) was able to deliver a number of key achievements, including providing technical advice and coordinating the construction of treatment centres and community engagement activities. Additionally, the organization facilitated contact tracing and helped develop vaccines.
Another notable accomplishment was a high-level ministerial meeting that included representatives of African and international governments and partners. This meeting resulted in a commitment to provide additional country funding for the response.
Recommendations
The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged its mistakes in the way it responded to the 2014 Ebola outbreak. While it has stated that its operational response was inadequate, the agency has also urged other nations to provide more funding to fight the disease.
The WHO's response to the Ebola epidemic highlighted tensions between its normative and operational roles. It is important to note that the organization is not a government and has no direct operational authority to respond to a crisis. However, it provides technical guidance and recommendations to support state activities.
Several reviews of the WHO's response have sought to understand the gaps in WHO's response to the outbreak. These include a report by the NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres, and a review of the WHO's response by the Wellcome Trust.
Dr Chan stressed the need for high-level responsibility for the response. She stressed that it was vital to build capacities in low-income states.
Despite the fact that the WHO had prepared a roadmap for the prevention and containment of the disease, there was no evidence that it had acted effectively. Although WHO aimed to stop the outbreak within six to nine months, the outbreak continued to progress.
During the first week of the outbreak, EVD spread to Sierra Leone and Liberia. This resulted in the highest number of cases reported in West Africa, and a secondary infection in Nigeria.
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