Remembering Ebola two years later

Inadequate healthcare facilities, sub-standard infection control and a slow international response contributed to the most widespread outbreak of Ebola in history, according to an article on the Varsity website.

In the wake of the epidemic, scientists in Russia and China have already licensed vaccines. Most recently, a vaccine touted as 100% effective, rVSV-ZEBOV, has been placed under review for use by the FDA in the USA. 

There are other ways the world can prepare for a further Ebola outbreak. West Africa must strengthen its health infrastructure with respect to hospital infection control and educating the public, the article said.

Surveillance could also prove key to limiting future outbreaks. A total of $400 million from the World Bank was directed toward the concept of public health surveillance. Each country in West Africa is to share surveillance data with a regional hub via a national coordinating institute. 

Read the article.