CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Since the Ebola virus disease was first diagnosed in West Africa in 2014,
Various countries took precautions in March 2014 to halt the spread of the deadly virus. According to the World Health Organization, there have been 15,119 suspected and confirmed Ebola cases in West Africa alone. (World Health Organization, 2014).
The epidemic is halting socioeconomic gains made after the restoration of peace and democracy in the three nations most impacted. Nearly 18,000 people have been infected as of the 10th of December, with over 6,400 already dead. Guinean, Liberian, and Sierra Leonean health systems were ill-equipped to combat the disease, and the crisis has now outstripped their ability to contain it.
Ebola has been extremely difficult to control in the three nations because to its unique characteristics. The lack of medical personnel and beds in Ebola Treatment Units, the difficulty of identifying active patients and contacts, and the response’s slowness have all contributed to the severity of the health disaster. Because the disease’s symptoms resembled those of other illnesses, doctors were unfamiliar with it, and early diagnosis and effective prevention were sluggish to begin.
The spread of the virus was aided by common activities such as community hand washing, the tradition of caring for sick relatives, and the cleaning and dressing of dead bodies in preparation for burials. Overly centralized health systems hampered local community engagement, which is crucial in preventing epidemics like this one.
The worldwide community is now mobilizing to assist the affected countries in halting the outbreak, treating those who have been ill, and preventing further epidemics. There has been a visible shift in attitudes and actions, and many communities have taken on the burden of coping, resulting in a large reduction in new cases in several places. The world community has rushed large sums of money, equipment, and troops to these key countries.
The struggle, however, is far from over, and more resources will be necessary to bring it to a conclusion. At the local level, communities must take ownership of the conflict. With help from the international community, especially bilateral partners, governments must lead effective, well-coordinated programs to curb the epidemic all the way down to the district level.
This situation has been exacerbated by fear. Because they are afraid of going to clinics, women are giving birth without contemporary medical attendants; birth control use has decreased; HIV testing has virtually ceased; and routine checkups and immunizations have come to a halt. There may be an increase in preventable deaths and a comeback of a variety of illnesses as a result. Fear is destroying social bonds as well, with family and communal celebrations being postponed and even treated Ebola patients being avoided by their families and communities.
Fear is aggravating the epidemic’s impact, causing schools and businesses to close and planting and harvesting to be slowed. Border closures and attempts by shipping companies to restrict illness exposure are limiting external trade. Some employees
Official estimates suggest that the pandemic will reduce growth in the three nations by 3 to 6% this year, which is about in line with projections based on econometric modeling. Furthermore, uncertainty about the epidemic’s duration and economic consequences has halted investment, lowering future growth prospects even if the virus is quickly contained.
Finally, we must not lose sight of these countries’ dire need to re-set development on a more sustainable course in the middle of the crisis. According to the findings of this study, increasing quality spending on health and development projects is a vital step toward recovery. Governments and donors are obviously eager to spend as much resources as possible to preventing the spread of the disease.
However, after the disease has been addressed, focus must be paid to how these economies might effectively recover and produce improvements in human welfare. UNDP, in partnership with UNMEER, is collaborating with national and international organizations.
worldwide partners to contain the disease and assist the countries that have been afflicted in their recovery.
Strengthening health systems and fixing the systemic flaws that allowed Ebola to spread in the first place will go a long way toward ensuring that such a crisis does not occur again. (United Nations Development Programme, Regional Director, 2014).
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Because of the high degree of poverty, high dependency rate, low per-capita income, and high level of corruption, West African countries are frequently labeled as developing countries. Inadequacy of medical facilities and protective gear has been a key obstacle for African countries in the fight against the Ebola virus, as has the availability of qualified doctors to treat Ebola patients. As a result, the death toll has risen dramatically. Most West African countries have no choice but to rely heavily on the assistance of so-called external actors in the fight against Ebola, yet the responses supplied to west African countries may be regarded to be inadequate. WHO, which should have spearheaded the international response, is suffering from significant funding shortages and has drastically reduced its workforce and operations, including its ability to respond quickly to the Ebola outbreak. More attention was finally placed on the development of vaccinations and medicinal therapy more than 5 months after the virus began to spread. On August 11th, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the compassionate use of experimental pharmaceuticals. The drug was first given to two US charity workers and a Spanish priest, according to reports. It was also provided to a British nurse, although these meds didn’t arrive in West Africa until late October 2014, purportedly on a first-come, first-served basis, but the early priority for white foreign workers fostered a sense of intense resentment.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The overall goal of this research is to look into the international response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa, as well as:
I want to look into the nature of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. ii to identify and discuss the external actors’ role and challenges in relation to the
In West Africa, there is an Ebola outbreak.
Aim to assess the efficacy of the worldwide response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH
I What is the Ebola crisis?
ii What are the roles and challenges of external actors in the West African Ebola outbreak?
iii To what extent have external players played a role in the Ebola crisis?
In West Africa, is it effective?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What is the Ebola outbreak?
ii What are the roles and challenges of external actors in the West African Ebola outbreak?
iii To what extent have external players played a role in the Ebola crisis?
In West Africa, is it effective?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Given the current global situation of Ebola disease spread, the high death rate, and strained diplomatic relations among West African states in particular, it is necessary to examine international actors’ responses to the Ebola crisis in West Africa. This study also serves as a wakeup call to reduce reliance on external actors for assistance in times of crisis, and to consider other options such as locally produced medicine and improvements to our health facilities.
SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This research covers the international response to the breakout of the ebola crisis in West Africa from 2014 to the present. The affected countries in West Africa are included in the spatial scope, with a focus on Nigeria, where the ebola virus disease broke out last year (2014)
The inability to acquire access to people who have been directly affected or died as a result of the ebola virus disease is the study’s principal constraint. This is due to the disease’s infectious nature, which makes it extremely dangerous.
ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research paper is divided into five sections. The first chapter contains an introduction to the study, a statement of the problem, the study’s objectives, research questions, the study’s significance, the scope and limitations of the study, the study’s organization, and a glossary of terms. The second chapter concentrated on conceptual clarification and theoretical framework. The third chapter looked at research methods. Data analysis is covered in Chapter 4, which includes secondary data analysis, and findings, conclusion, and recommendations are covered in Chapter 5.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
A crisis, according to Merriam-Webster, is an unstable or critical time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is imminent. Health crises will receive more attention as a result of this research. A health crisis is a tough condition or a complicated health system that impacts humans in one or more geographic locations, ranging from a single location to the entire globe.
EBOLA
A notoriously lethal virus with terrifying symptoms, the most notable of which include high fever and extensive internal bleeding. The Ebola virus kills up to 90% of those who contract it. It’s one of the viruses that can cause hemorrhagic fever (bloody fever).
The Ebola virus is spread through contact with the blood, feces, or bodily fluids of an infected person.
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