Pacific “prepared” to face Ebola

“Rumours and panic are spreading faster than the virus. And this costs money. Ebola sparks nearly universal fear. Fear vastly amplifies social disruption and economic losses well beyond the outbreak zones. The World Bank estimates that 90 per cent of economic losses during any outbreak arise from the uncoordinated and irrational efforts of the public to avoid infection.” – Ian Smith, Executive Director of W.H.O Director General’s Office

The Western Pacific is “better prepared than ever” to cope if the Ebloa virus was to appear in the region.

So says the World Health Organisation (W.H.O).

Speaking at this month’s 65th Session of the W.H.O. Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in the Phillipeans, the Organisation’s Director for the Region, Dr. Shin Young-soo, reminded Member States that the Western Pacific region, which includes Samoa, has long been a hotspot for many emerging diseases.

He said, however, that the management of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (S.A.R.S.) - the first major disease outbreak of the 21st century - has made them stronger so that they are better prepared than ever for Ebola virus disease.

In fact, results from a recent survey of the Region’s members showed good preparedness to detect and respond to Ebola, and a regional emergency operations centre is on high alert.

“The risk for transmission here is low, but the consequences are high so we must be prepared,” Dr. Shin said.

“The Ebola crisis drives home a simple truth — investing in health security during so-called normal times is absolutely vital.” 



This is good news for Samoa, with Health Minister Tuitama Dr. Talalelei Tuitama noting in his speech that Health Ministries often struggle with limited resources.

Tuitama was speaking in Manila in his capacity as the Outgoing Chair of the Regional Committee.

“The inherent difficulties we face in running our health systems on a day-to-day basis can be quite overwhelming,” he said.

“We struggle with limited resources. We know about the policies and actions that will make a difference but we are all aware of the demands that come with our work in public health."

“When I first addressed the Regional Committee last year as Chair of the RCM, I spoke of how we are ‘keepers of health in our Region’.

“As leaders and ‘keepers of health’ we need to make the most of what we have, and increasingly, we are forced to make decisions that require sacrifice."

“Over the past year however, it has become clear that apart from doing more with less, we have to be courageous and be prepared for the unexpected.”

The Minister noted several outbreaks, which have affected the Pacific Region in recent times - Chikungunya, Zika and Dengue.

“(The) measles outbreak in the Solomon Islands is (also) a concern,” he said.

“The outbreak of M.E.R.S. in the Middle East and recently, Ebola in West Africa make us all feel a bit anxious."

“The interdependence of nations whether economic or ecological has a profound effect on our lives and our health.”

Tuitama said that ambivalence, indecisiveness and uncertainty do not have a place against the background of the urgent health problems confronting us today.

“Our people expect us to provide clear guidance on health,” said Tuitama.

“Therefore, when we look at what is in front of us we must choose to see not a glass half empty but a glass half full."

“Through solidarity and international collaboration, we can share our experiences, our expertise and our knowledge to take the most effective actions to make health better for all the people of this Region.”

Delivering the Keynote address on behalf of W.H.O Director General, Dr Margaret Chan, Executive Director of her Office Dr Ian Smith used the opportunity to speak solely on the Ebola crisis.

“In my long career in public health, which includes managing the H5N1 and SARS outbreaks in Hong Kong, and managing the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic at W.H.O., I have never before seen a health event attract such a high level of international media coverage, day after day after day,” Dr Smith Said. “I have never seen a health event strike such fear and terror, well beyond the affected countries."

“I have never seen a health event threaten the very survival of societies and governments in already very poor countries.”

“I have never seen an infectious disease contribute so strongly to potential state failure.”

Dr Smith said all of this was confirmed on September 18, when the United Nations (U.N) Security Council convened an unprecedented emergency session to address what has moved from a public health crisis to threaten international peace and security.

“I will not give you the latest figures for cases and deaths, as the number of new cases is now rising exponentially in the three hardest-hit countries, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone,” he told the audience.

“But I will use the outbreak to show how some messages, some key arguments that W.H.O. has been making for decades, are now falling on receptive ears.”

“First, the outbreak spotlights the dangers of the world’s growing social and economic inequalities. The rich get the best care. The poor are left to die.”

“Second, rumours and panic are spreading faster than the virus. And this costs money.”

“Ebola sparks nearly universal fear. Fear vastly amplifies social disruption and economic losses well beyond the outbreak zones.”

“The World Bank estimates that 90 per cent of economic losses during any outbreak arise from the uncoordinated and irrational efforts of the public to avoid infection.”

A third argument Dr Smith highlighted, was when a deadly and dreaded virus hits the destitute and spirals out of control, the whole world is put at risk, especially now with societies more interconnected, interdependent and electronically wired together as never before.”

“Fourth, decades of neglect of fundamental health systems and services mean that a shock, like an extreme weather event in a changing climate, armed conflict, or a disease run wild, can bring a fragile country to its knees,” he said.

“In the simplest terms, this outbreak shows how one of the deadliest pathogens on earth can exploit any weakness in the health infrastructure, be it inadequate numbers of health care staff or the virtual absence of isolation wards and intensive care facilities throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa.”

“You cannot build these systems up during a crisis. Instead, they collapse.”

Ebola emerged nearly 40 years ago, which prompted Dr Smith to ask why are clinicians still empty-handed, with no vaccines and no cure?

“Because Ebola has been, historically, geographically confined to poor African nations,” he said.

“The Research and Development incentive is virtually non-existent.”

“A profit-driven industry does not invest in products for markets that cannot pay.”

“We have been trying to make this issue visible for many years.”

He did note that one of the few things W.H.O. is glad to see was that when presidents and prime ministers in non-affected countries make statements about Ebola. “They rightly attribute the outbreak’s unprecedented spread and severity to the ‘failure to put basic public health infrastructures in place’,” said Dr Smith.

At the Conference the Dr Shin noted that the W.H.O. would be reviewing the progress towards the implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) core capacities, a topic of particular interest considering the current Ebola crisis.

“Over the past year, we have responded to many health security threats caused by emerging diseases — including outbreaks of dengue in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Pacific, and avian influenza in Cambodia and China,” he said

“We conducted risk assessments for H7N9, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus — also known as MERS-CoV — and most recently the Ebola virus.

“We continuously update these assessments, and assist Member States to meet the International Health Regulations, or IHR, core capacity requirements by the 2016 deadline.”

Meanwhile, the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (A.A.A.S.). Science Insider reports that two Ebola vaccine candidates might be ready for testing in hard-hit West African countries in December, a month earlier than previously predicted.

And one vaccine manufacturer has said it may have millions of doses available by April, should studies prove that it’s safe and effective, a much more optimistic scenario than outlined until now.

“As more and more resources are mobilised for development of Ebola vaccines, the timeline is being compressed,” said Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny, an assistant director-general at the W.H.O. today at a press conference about a high-level meeting on vaccines that took place yesterday.

“Things are changing from week to week,” said Dr. Kieny, who also noted that several new donors have offered to help finance vaccine production and testing.

Two new Ebola cases, one in Mali and one in New York City, have added to the sense of urgency in containing the spread of the deadly virus.

But the best-case scenarios being discussed may be far too optimistic given the rapid spread of the Ebola virus, particularly in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.