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Daniel Whatley

Dr. Arthur Williams

Introduction to Writing and Literature

14 November 2014

A Better Way to Fight Ebolaviruses

Humans are in what seems to be a never ending battle against disease.

Throughout history, mankind has had to endure the nastiest illnesses on the planet,

such as malaria, bubonic plague, and influenza. The reason that bacteria and viruses

are so deadly and tough is because of mutation. Such is the case with Influenza, which

has mutated into different strains such as H1N1, H1N2, and H2N1. And now, with the

recent outbreak of a deadly strain of ebolavirus, the Zaire ebolavirus, in West Africa,

some fear the possibility of a global pandemic.

This particular outbreak began in Guinea when a two-year-old boy (the index

case) ate a hammer-headed bat, which is a reservoir host of Ebola virus disease, as

well as dozens of other serious pathogens such as rabies and severe acute respiratory

syndrome (Cable News Network). Since Ebola is extremely contagious in close

proximity, and can be spread by almost any type of bodily fluid, it has become

widespread in three countries and claimed thousands of lives in just six months

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Ebola is usually contracted by those

caring for infected people, which is why ten percent of the cases and casualties have

been healthcare workers (World Health Organization). These healthcare workers are

members of the non-profit organization Doctors Without Borders, which is the main

source of medical help for the infected West Africans. However, even though Doctors
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Without Borders is a French founded organization, America is spending billions of tax-

dollars to fund it. Some say this is a waste of money and that what happens in Africa is

not America's problem. However, it becomes America's problem when infected Africans

are coming to America with Ebola, as was the case with Thomas Duncan. He brought

Ebola to America and infected two Americans in the process. Most would agree that

something has to be done, but no one has a perfect solution, and there may not be one.

Still, there are ideas to be considered.

One possible solution to Ebola is the one that America is choosing right now:

spend billions of dollars on the epidemic and hope it doesn't spread. This is a terrible

idea and is a complete and utter waste of government money. There is no need for

spending that much money on one outbreak of a disease; if it was going to be resolved,

it would have been already. No matter how much money is given to Doctors Without

Borders, the people of Africa cannot be helped if they do not understand the

seriousness of the issue and how to help themselves. If a single outbreak can kill

thousands of people in just six months, and the supporting money is not having any

major effect on the resolution of the Ebola virus disease epidemic whatsoever, then

maybe it is time to search for a new plan.

A better solution is to educate the people of Africa on healthy living so that

another outbreak will be unlikely to occur. As of now, Africans are ignorant when it

comes to birth control, hygiene, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. For example, "In

Liberia, a mob attacked an Ebola isolation center, stealing equipment and "freeing"

patients while shouting 'There's no Ebola,'"(theage.com). If money would be spent to

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educate West Africans, then there would be no rebellions, and there would not be a

major threat of another Ebola epidemic in the future.

Humans have survived many worse epidemics than Ebola; humanity will live to

see another day, but the correct decisions must be made about this issue. History has a

way of repeating itself, and if nothing is done right now to prevent a future Ebola virus

disease outbreak from occurring, then mankind will be ill-prepared when it happens

again.