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Quadriga - Ebola Epidemic - Too Little, Too Late

September 18, 2014

Barack Obama says he now views the Ebola epidemic in West Africa as a global threat. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf believes the disease could threaten the very existence of her nation. The US has promised to send 3,000 troops to help cope with the emergency, and even the UN Security Council is making moves to help. Aid organizations say the efforts are too little, and far too late.

https://p.dw.com/p/1DFLz

According to official estimates, the Ebola virus has so far claimed over 2,400 lives in West Africa. Most of the victims lived in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The World Health Organization says the number of infections could double every three weeks.

Liberia Ebola Abtransport Opfer Angehörige Trauer
Image: Reuters/James Giahyue

Because of its lack of infrastructure, Liberia has been hit especially hard by the disease. Coupled with a a deep-seated distrust of the authorities among the population, a lack of information has also lead many families to try to treat infected relatives at home rather than bring them to healthcare facilities. That increases the risk of infection.

Liberia Ärzte ohne Grenzen Ebola Schutzkleidung
Image: Caroline Van Nespen/MFS/dpa

Ebola has been around for around 40 years, but there are still no effective treatments for the disease. Because it mostly hit poor countries in undeveloped regions of Africa, there has until now been no financial incentive for the pharmaceuticals industry to develop therapies.

Now the virus is finally beginning to be viewed as a more global problem. But for thousands of victims, international help will come too late. Should the world have reacted sooner to the Ebola threat? Do we need better and more comprehensive strategies for coping with epidemics?

Ebola Ausbruch Valerie Amos PK 16.09.2014
Image: Reuters/Denis Balibouse

Let us know what you think: quadriga(at)dw.de

Ebola Epidemic - Too Little, Too Late

Our guests:

19.09.2014 quadriga Abu-Bakarr Jalloh

Abu-Bakarr Jalloh - is a journalist and documentary filmmaker from Sierra Leone. He currently works as a resporter with Deutsche Welle's English for Africa department. He just spent three weeks in Kailahun, the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone and reported about the people in the frontline, who are fighting to contain the spread of the disease. Previously, Mr. Jalloh worked as a video correspondent for Associated Press in Sierra Leone.

15.05.2014 DW Quadriga Studiogast Peter Dörrie

Peter Dörrie - studied Geographical Development Research with a focus on Africa in Bayreuth, Germany and International Politics and Security Studies in Bradford, UK. He has worked as a freelance journalist, covering resource politics and security issues in Africa for publications like War is Boring, Welt-Sichten and Think Africa Press.

19.09.2014 quadriga Judith Vorrath

Judith Vorrath - is an Associate in the International Security Division of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. She is currently working on a project dealing with organized crime in West Africa (specifically Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) as well as on the challenges for peacebuilding and development in fragile states in sub-Saharan Africa. Previously she has been a post-doc fellow at SWP, at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington D.C. and the European Union Institute for Security Studies in Paris.