Effectiveness of non-conventional humanitarian responses on Ebola outbreak crisis in West Africa
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Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
J Pharmacovigilance
Abstract
Background: The significance of early warning alert, preparedness, public health surveillance and response systems, has been shown
through the most deadly Ebola outbreak, complex ever seen Ebola war in West African communities as new cases is increasing
exponentially with high risk of exposure of population and medical staff alike. The late humanitarian and local non-government
organisations emergency responses and challenges to curtail transmission dynamics and stop the ongoing spread in the Ebola
outbreak in West Africa have led to an unprecedented toll of 21,724 reported Ebola cases in eight countries since the outbreak began,
with 8,641 reported deaths including 828 health-care workers and 499 died as 14 January 2015.
Methods: Non-conventional humanitarian interventions (NCHI) was declared in West Africa Ebola epicenters with major tasks at
implementing relief logistics and the much-needed public health emergency responses and programmes to ultimately reduce and
stamp out Ebola outbreak amidst the most remote and hard to reach vulnerable populations.
Results & Discussions: Indications have prompted the need of further evaluation of monitoring of the effectiveness of non conventional humanitarian interventions during and post Ebola outbreak crisis. This paper showed that NCHI has significantly
support the reduction EVD new proportion of cases and drastically reduce case fatality in the context of Ebola epicentres through Ebola
health centres building, mobile laboratory facilities, emergency medical evacuation capability, prompt treatment and care support
and services delivery, and infection prevention and control quality assurance checks in these countries. At the same time, exhaustive
NCHI efforts targeted ensuring timely and sufficient optimal supply personal protective equipment (PPE), building new Ebola
emergency care centers and emergency stockpile supply and delivery and set strategic coordinated priorities to all Ebola treatment
facilities, along with the provision of local training and empowerment using relevant guidelines to limit to the minimum possible
level of risk and aftermath within the context of national sovereignty, peace and security. The paper highlights the effectiveness of
NCHI in population in public health crisis and mitigates on medical, ethics and legal challenges in West Africa emergency responses.
Conclusion: NCHI has successful supported operational containment efforts and lessons learnt in West Africa and lay foundation
for accountable, transparent and innovative model for emergency response to global disease outbreaks in the most remote vulnerable
populations. However, there lies a critical need to build up from the NCHI response and management in West Africa toward a more
pragmatic and robust evidence based NCHI approaches and models that can transform and empower the huge natural and human
resource potentials towards achieving universal coverage, the 2015–2030 Millennium Developing Goals (MDGs), sustainable growth
and development in Africa and worldwide economic prosperity