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Africa: Five Things to Remember a Decade After the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa
MSF, 20 March 2024
Ten years ago, on 23 March 2014, Guinea declared an outbreak of Ebola. Beforehand, Ebola outbreaks were known to be dangerous, but small. Not this time, though: it would take two… Read more »
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Africa: Preventive Ebola Vaccination Safeguards Health Workers in Democratic Republic of the Congo
WHO-AFRO, 20 February 2024
"Getting the Ebola vaccine has given me a deep sense of security and will allow me to concentrate fully on my work," says Chrysostome Kavusa Mwenderwa, a health care worker at… Read more »
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Liberia: 'No Ebola Outbreak in Guinea, It's a Rumor' - Expert
FrontPageAfrica, 9 February 2024
The Liberian globally acclaimed biomedical scientist and infectious disease specialist, Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan has said that, "people should not panic as there is so far no valid… Read more »
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Africa: WHO - Rise in Ebola Outbreaks in Africa Linked to Climate Change
VOA, 5 November 2022
World health officials are linking a significant rise in African Ebola outbreaks in this century to climate change. Read more »
Reflecting on 10 Years Since Ebola Outbreak in West Africa
A decade after the devastating Ebola outbreak in West Africa, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) expresses concern. Despite the development of two effective Ebola treatments, these lifesaving resources are not readily stockpiled for emergency use in high-risk areas.
Ten years ago, on March 23, 2014, Guinea declared an outbreak of Ebola, marking the onset of the largest Ebola epidemic ever recorded. Dr. Michel Van Herp, an esteemed Ebola expert, reflects on this catastrophic event, highlighting its unprecedented scale and the challenges faced in response.
The outbreak, initially underestimated, quickly spread across multiple countries in West Africa, infecting over 28,000 people and claiming more than 11,000 lives. Despite efforts to contain the virus, including the construction of large-scale treatment centers, coordination among aid organizations and governments was lacking, leading to a delayed and disjointed response. Lessons learned from the outbreak include the importance of early detection, improved treatment protocols, and enhanced follow-up care for survivors.
Looking ahead, Dr. Van Herp said there is a need for continued research into treatments and vaccines and better support for survivors. While errors were made during the response, progress has been made, offering hope for more effective future interventions against Ebola outbreaks.
InFocus
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Less than four months after the first case was confirmed in the Uganda's central Mubende district on 20 September 2022, the outbreak has ended. During that time, there were 164 ... Read more »
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Ebola has resurfaced in the DR Congo following confirmation of a case in the restive eastern province of North Kivu, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on August 23, ... Read more »
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The 194 Member States of the World Health Organization are currently negotiating the first pandemic accord. Acknowledging that the world learned many hard lessons from the Covid-19 ... Read more »
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The government of Guinea has officially declared a new outbreak of Ebola. The head of Guinea's health agency, Sakoba Keita, said the country is experiencing an Ebola "epidemic ... Read more »
MSF staff members carry a deceased Ebola patient to the morgue in Kailahun, Sierra Leone. Death was always very present in Ebola Treatment Centres. Over 11,000 people died during this outbreak, and at several moments the morgues where overwhelmed. Sierra Leone, December 2014.
