Ebola Outbreaks Public Health Emergencies in Fragile Conflicts Zones and Displaced Populations in Africa
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Date
2017-10-11
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health
Abstract
Little is documented on conflict and displacement impact on West Africa Ebola Virus disease (EVD)
outbreaks. The paper revisits Ebola outbreaks public health emergencies in fragile conflict zones
and displaced populations across Africa. Findings showed that the duration of conflict/war events
varied one to forty three years. Notably, Darfur war in Sudan and South Sudan lasted between 18-
23 years, RD Congo and Guinea incessant political and ethnical or mining conflict instability
repeatedly ranging between 2-6 years, Liberia and Sierra Leone 5 and 12 years conflict/war events
associated Ebola outbreaks were documented following seven and four years of conflicts from
1989-1996 and 1999-2003 prior to a democracy nation era in Liberia respectively. Worldwide, there
have been 28,639 cases of Ebola virus disease and 11,316 deaths as at December, 2016
compared to recent Zika virus outbreaks in Latin America. Ebola outbreak public health
emergencies advocacy, community social mobilization and engagement, Ebola awareness,
effective and culturally dignified communications, social media and mass media risk
communication, community literacy and preparedness, emergency response engagement and
participation, access and deployment of digital technology applications (Health map) in surveillance,
tracking and monitoring and key traditional burial practice behaviours changes were being
translated into positive successes and benefits that geared rapid and effective prevention of further
spread and containment activities of West Africa Ebola outbreak. Inter-humanitarian organizations,
institutions and other stakeholders including government cooperation and coordinated leadership,
commitment and investment were laudable in supporting accountability and transparency in the
overall objectives of public health emergency preparedness planning, care management systems in
Ebola outbreak centres, public awareness, epidemic early detection and rapid response as well as
effective immunization programs implementation to outwit Ebola virus. Sierra Leone conflict lasted
from 1991-2002, Guinea recorded frequent relentless instability than Liberia with two major conflict
periods from 1989-1996 and 1999-2003. For the first time, we established a statistical significant
correlation between duration of war/conflict events and Ebola outbreaks onsets in Africa
(P<0.05).Unexpectedly; the total fatality rate in Liberia or Sierra Leone only was greater than the
previously reported cumulative EVD cases across Africa since 1976. It is crucial to intensify
advocacy on conflicts/wars resolutions to disaster risk reduction framework evidence practice
implementation of peace building in fostering health and socioeconomic development and growth.
Authors call for the urgent need for concerned commitment and engagement of all stakeholders to
develop, implement and strengthening local, national, regional and global public health
emergencies evidence practice approaches and strategies including national public health disaster
emergency situations insurance models and schemes integration is paramount in disaster high risk
prone settings and particular in Africa.