As the world continues to grapple with the aftermath of the worst Ebola outbreak in history, the need for global pandemic preparedness has never been more urgent. Dr. Maria Guevara, MSF international medical secretary, emphasizes the importance of being ready for future public health emergencies, highlighting the devastating impact of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
Ten years ago, the Ebola outbreak wreaked havoc on the health care systems of Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Liberia, claiming over 11,000 lives and spreading to multiple countries, including the US. At that time, the lack of available vaccines and treatments posed significant challenges for humanitarian organizations like Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The only recourse was to focus on preventing the spread of infection through stringent hygiene measures and providing supportive medical care to the afflicted.
Following this global health crisis, substantial investments were made by affluent nations like the US in research and development (R&D) for Ebola vaccines and treatments, under the banner of pandemic preparedness and global health security. These investments yielded promising results, as evidenced by the effective Ebola vaccines and treatments deployed during the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2018, marking the second worst Ebola outbreak in history. However, despite the availability of these medical tools, their distribution remained limited, with the majority of vaccines and treatments stockpiled in countries like the US, while individuals in Ebola-endemic regions like DRC continued to suffer without access.
Dr. Guevara underscores the concerning reality that despite being recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a pathogen with pandemic potential, the majority of medical resources to prevent and treat Ebola remain unused, exacerbating the disparities in outbreak prevention and response. The failures observed during previous outbreaks, including Ebola and the COVID-19 pandemic, serve as a stark reminder of the persistent inequities that continue to leave the world ill-prepared for future international public health crises.
