Ebola

[cambrensis]

It seems that the folks in charge have decided that we do not currently need dedicated treatment centres in the UK. We have one or two hospital locations with existing or upgraded facilities to deal with very high risk illnesses and that is where the (expected) very small number of cases will be sent.

Meanwhile we have sent soldiers to build a treatment centre in Sierra Leone where it makes sense to have one. I believe it has just opened within the last day or so.

Correct Damian! I did not mention the other countries involved as I have no direct contact there. I do, however, have contacts in "The Gambia" which I am sure you realise is next door to these countries. The border is closed and nobody allowed into the Gambia thence. There are no reports yet of ebola in the Gambia.

The main convent in Banjul sent experienced Sisters of Mercy ( nursing and educational order) into Sierra Leone on Wednesday. Their main expertise is with sick and/or traumatised orphans. So there will be local help as well as they will organise that.

In the meantime, the reaction of the Gambian dictator has been to increase taxation in various ways. This is because of the economic situation worsening there. This is due to the fact that much is usually imported via Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The only known case of ebola outside these three African countries has been in Mali, and I'm sure most will have heard of this episode in the news. None has been reported yet in Senegal.

If any politician needed kicking....! The dictator in the Gambia decided last year that English would no longer be an official language (there are 5 or 6 local ones in a very small country) and left the Commonwealth at the same time.

Anyway, for what it's worth, I'd be tempted to use the Gambia and Senegal as indicators..

[burgyeb]

It seems that the folks in charge have decided that we do not currently need dedicated treatment centres in the UK. We have one or two hospital locations with existing or upgraded facilities to deal with very high risk illnesses and that is where the (expected) very small number of cases will be sent.

Meanwhile we have sent soldiers to build a treatment centre in Sierra Leone where it makes sense to have one. I believe it has just opened within the last day or so.

New York had the first case reportedly on October 12th I believe; and within days, the 8 designated treatment centers were publicly announced. I was surprised by the level of preparedness, but it makes sense as New York attracts travelers from all over the world.

I have been pleased to see the international response to building treatment centers in the highly impacted areas of Africa. However, even one case of this disease could devastate an area that is ill prepared to deal with it. This occurred in Dallas, Texas when the first USA case was diagnosed. Health care workers and others were needlessly exposed to ebola. Treatment protocals for the disease were not in place, and certain treatment choices may not have been best.

Our military and healthcare professionals are on the front lines also in Africa, and if they are inadvertantly exposed to EVD, they have facilities prepared to offer them advanced levels of care. At a minimum, the public needs to be informed about this disease, no matter where they are located.

[damian_steele]

New York had the first case reportedly on October 12th I believe; and within days, the 8 designated treatment centers were publicly announced. I was surprised by the level of preparedness, but it makes sense as New York attracts travelers from all over the world.

Announced, yes, but not built specifically for ebola. Were they not just existing facilities with the capability to deal with high risk illnesses?

[burgyeb]

Announced, yes, but not built specifically for ebola. Were they not just existing facilities with the capability to deal with high risk illnesses?

All of the specified facilities are world class healthcare facilities, that modified their existing facilities, to fully accommodate the treatment and control of EVD. The facilities are one thing, be they built or in existence. Preparedness to seamlessly detect, contain, successfully treat patients, and protect the public is the bottom line. These facilities have also been aggressively training their staff to provide top level care to impacted individuals.

Texas has 2 designated treatment facilities; one of which is a state of the art facility that was built. Percentage treatment success rates will be the measure of excellence, not weather the facility rendering the care pre-existed or was newly built. If the treatment survival rates increase in the newly built treatment centers, that will be their measure of excellence. For increased survival of those heavily impacted areas, will mean their people can be well at home, with no need to travel to other nations for treatment. The worse case scenario, would be setting up a lot of new centers, and seeing no change in care levels or survival rates. Time will tell.

[westlondoncarparts]

Well done the Cubans for their sense of community.

They always had the highest standards of healthcare in Latin America and they have enough sense of solidarity with the rest of mankind to share it in this way.

http://time.com/3556670/ebola-cuba/