The
deadliest outbreak of Ebola virus on record is causing havoc in five African
countries namely Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria. In March 2014, the
World Health Organization (WHO) reported a major Ebola outbreak in Guinea. The
highly infectious disease has since spread to catastrophic levels and taken an
International dimension. WHO has declared the epidemic to be an international
public health emergency but the international community has been slow to react
and seemed indifferent to the plight of the affected countries.
According
to the WHO, the countries affected to date simply do not have the capacity to
manage an outbreak of this magnitude and complexity on their own. Apart from
the human cost, the outbreak has severely battered the economies of the
affected countries. Initially, many countries dealt with the fear of infectivity
by isolating themselves from West Africa, closing their borders, canceling
airline services and pulling ships back from West African ports. This has only
worsened the situation leading to economic and social unrest.
The
complexity of the situation and the danger that the disease poses to global
health has led the WHO to urge for “drastic action” to contain Ebola. The slow
response from the International community, especially the developed countries
has allowed the epidemic to spread sparking fears that the killer virus could
spread from West Africa to other regions and continents. It has been
acknowledged that Ebola is just a plane ride away and therefore, no country is
completely safe. Patrick Sawyer, a naturalized American citizen who worked in
Liberia, flew to Nigeria intending to attend a conference. After exhibiting
symptoms upon arrival July 20, he was hospitalized and died on July 25.Two
other U.S. aid workers in Liberia have contracted Ebola and have been treated.
The
United Nations has said that controlling the epidemic will require the world to
increase its efforts twentyfold and to spend $1 billion in the next six months.
Tim Shenk, a spokesman for the humanitarian group Doctors without Borders, emphasized
that the actions of the U.S. government will determine whether the growing
epidemic can be contained. As the
largest economy in the world, it was expected that the U.S would play a leading
role and lead international response to the Ebola outbreak. However, it is
China that has appeared proactive and quick to act.
China,
the second largest economy responded to the epidemic with unprecedented
generosity The Chinese president was the first to send condolences to the heads
of state of the affected countries. Additionally, China dispatched three teams
of infectious disease experts to assist local medical professionals and sent $5
million worth of medical supplies to the three most affected countries (Sierra
Leone, Liberia, and Guinea). President Xi
Jinping announced that China would provide an additional $32 million worth of
humanitarian aid to boost already
existing efforts to combat the epidemic. And last week, a 59-member Chinese
laboratory team departed for Sierra Leone to help the country improve lab
testing capacity, joining the 115 Chinese medical staff that are already on the
ground.
As
the world’s second-largest economy, China has taken the burden of responding to
the Ebola crisis and has showed concern and commitment not seen from any other
country on the globe. Over the past month, China has contributed food, medical
supplies and cash to help African countries and aid organizations combat the
disease. China has also pledged to donate $2 million to the WHO and $2 million
to the African Union to aid their Ebola response efforts. But it is still a
developing nation, with poorer per capita than the United States, Japan or
European Union countries. The WHO has
described China’s new commitment as “a huge boost, morally and
operationally.”
Therefore,
the Chinese role in helping African countries fight Ebola should not be
downplayed. China was dispatching more health personnel as aid groups
from the United States, Europe,
and Japan were evacuating their own in droves. Despite their lack of experience
in handling Ebola cases, Chinese doctors and volunteers seem eager to
offer assiatance regarding the disease. For Africa, this is the time when we
need our friends and neighbors. An African proverb states that “When your neighbour’s
house catches fire, you don’t wait for it to spread to your house for you to
act, but quickly join in containing the fire.
To
other African countries, our neighbour’s house is on fire and we cannot sit and
wait for China and the developed world to act as we sit and watch. Many
countries in Africa are still at risk and therefore we must join hands and
combat Ebola together. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified Kenya
as a "high-risk" country for the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.
Kenya is vulnerable because is a major transport hub, with many flights from
West Africa. Instead of isolating ourselves, let us emulate China and support
our African brothers in distress.
