The Links Between Public and Ecosystem Health in Light of the Recent Ebola Outbreaks and Pandemic Emergence

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is an unprecedented public health emergency of international concern. It is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak on record, having resulted in over 28,000 cases, and an estimated case fatality proportion of 40%. The Ebola outbreak took a signicant economic an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:EcoHealth 2016-06, Vol.13 (2), p.227-229
Main Authors: Nabarro, David, Wannous, Chadia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal Ecology
Disaster management
Disaster risk
Disease control
Disease Outbreaks
Ebola virus
Ebolavirus
Ecosystem
Ecosystems
Emergency preparedness
Environmental Health
Forum
Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - epidemiology
Humans
Infectious diseases
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Microbiology
Outbreaks
Pandemics
Public Health
Risk management
Water and Health
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Summary:The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is an unprecedented public health emergency of international concern. It is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak on record, having resulted in over 28,000 cases, and an estimated case fatality proportion of 40%. The Ebola outbreak took a signicant economic and social toll on West African Nations beyond human death and illness. It has devastated families and communities, compromised essential services including health and education, weakened economies and isolated affected populations. The outbreak shows that we are still not ready to deal with infectious disease emergencies. It also demonstrates the importance of preparedness and building resilient health systems through the integration of disaster risk management into health care provision at all levels. Ebola exploits fragile and overstretched health systems with limited public health capabilities. Therefore, we must prioritize strengthening the health institutions, develop their infrastructure, and support the training of the health workforce.
ISSN:1612-9202
1612-9210
DOI:10.1007/s10393-016-1123-y