LAGOS—As Nigeria yesterday marked one year after late Patrick Sawyer imported Ebola Virus Diseases, EVD, into the country, the African Union, AU, has described its outbreak in parts of West Africa as the largest, longest and most complex in the disease’s history.
The AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, Mustapha Kaloko, stated this at the opening ceremony of the AU’s international conference on Ebola which kicked off Monday, in Malabo to share experiences in Africa’s fight against Ebola and discuss post-epidemic recovery and reconstruction for Ebola-affected countries.
The conference is being held under the theme: “Africa helping Africans in the Ebola Recovery and Reconstruction.”
The two-day event brings together government officials, UN and regional agencies and private sectors to share experiences on lessons learned in the fight against Ebola.
Special focus would be given to the commitment to assisting Ebola-affected countries, especially Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, in their recovery and reconstruction efforts.
It is also expected to feature plans to prevent future public health-threatening outbreaks on the continent.
Kaloko, further recalled that the uniqueness of the outbreak has highlighted the fragile health systems in the affected countries.
According to Kaloko, “It also highlighted the significant deficits in the human, financial and material resources needed for an effective and timely response to outbreaks.
“In addition to the death and illness caused by Ebola, there has been an upsurge in mortality and morbidity from other diseases and conditions.
“This is linked to the collapse of health systems, which significantly erode local capacities in critical areas,” Kaloko said
He stressed the need for health funding in most African countries which is currently below the required level to achieve a functional, basic health system and called for new initiatives to diversify funding resources.
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