WHO chiefs should be sacked for ebola crisis

The World Health Organisation did not act decisively when the ebola outbreak in West Africa was confirmed in March.

Previous outbreaks demonstrated that the virus is lethal and highly contagious, with the potential for rapid dispersal. So ebola prevention should have been elevated to a priority.

By failing to direct immediate resources last March, WHO director general, Dr. Margaret Chan, allowed time to elapse, so that a small outbreak mushroomed into a wider epidemic, in the absence of full containment.

The WHO also deferred to healthcare personnel and programme officials in West Africa, knowing those officials could not adequately respond. The WHO should have been aware that healthcare personnel would themselves succumb to infection with the same lethal effects. The WHO also downplayed the enormity of the emerging epidemic, through the summer, so that other nations and the UN were lulled into inaction. Only from mid-August has there been a wider response.

The escalating death toll, the complete disruption to society in West African nations, the restrictions on people’s movements, the closing of schools, and the rapid spread of ebola across borders in Africa would not have happened if the WHO had acted decisively last March.

The WHO should immediately appoint competent directors to replace the current leadership.

John Paul O’Driscoll

Harvest Loop

Prattiville

AL 36066

USA