Containing Ebola

ALTHOUGH Bangladesh has been fortunate not to have reported any case of the wildly contagious Ebola virus, there is hardly any room for complacency when it comes to vigilance. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been advising all governments across the region to that effect. Already Ebola has claimed 5,000 lives, primarily in Africa, and there have been reported casualties in the western world. Although authorities have stepped up health contingency plans at principal points of entry to the country, media involvement is required to help raise awareness levels of the general populace.

Bangladesh is perhaps better equipped to deal with viruses, but experts believe adequate entry screening mechanisms still require a lot of work. Apart from that, it is imperative that people be made aware of how to detect possible cases of Ebola and what measures to take to quarantine suspected Ebola victims before the arrival of health services on scene. The apprehension is that social stigma and fear of the unknown could delay any Ebola-carrying patient from reporting the symptoms which can only expose others to threat.

Effective vaccines and drugs to combat Ebola on large scale will not become available for the next few months according to WHO, the principal tool to fight the disease will remain the government's preparedness to tackle any suspected case in the country. There can be no let up in screening of inbound travellers and it is here that authorities will have to play a hands-on role.