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A few points/questions about U.S. policy and response: * IIRC, the current administration cut NIH or CDC funding for preventing and/or dealing with foreign dis
by forapurpose 8y ago
A few points/questions about U.S. policy and response:
* IIRC, the current administration cut NIH or CDC funding for preventing and/or dealing with foreign disease outbreaks. Under the prior administration, IIRC the GOP in Congress told the NIH/CDC to re-purpose those funds toward other uses. Does anyone know the current status?
* Regarding the Ebola outbreak in West Africa recently, I later read that the only organization in the world with the logistical resources to respond quickly at the necessary scale was the U.S. military, and Obama eventually deployed them.
* The article doesn't mention the U.S. at all. That seems like a major omissions; not even a no comment. Is the U.S. just standing back while these people die and an epidemic spreads, potentially to other places too?
* What is the current administration's stance on funding UN/WHO health operations?
- ForHackernews 8y agoThis article, https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/05/game-changer-in-the-congo-as-first-urban-case-of-ebola-is-confirmed/560651/ https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/05/game-chan... mentions that USAID and the WHO are proving resources: > Both Mbandaka and Bikoro now have mobile labs, where researchers can test blood samples locally—a huge difference compared to most previous outbreaks. Provided by USAID, the labs contain generators, freezers, and equipment for doing diagnostic tests. The Mbandaka lab is expected to be operational tomorrow afternoon, once the WHO delivers a generator.
- maxerickson 8y agoThe West African outbreak needed a huge response because it had spun out of control. The numbers for this outbreak are still pretty small.
- Fomite 8y agoThe U.S. military was deployed, but the West African outbreak was much larger in scope. The people first on the ground with expertise are probably MSF. As for the CDC, it looks like they're working with the DRC Ministry of Health: https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/drc/2018-may.html https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/drc/2018-may.html
- Fomite 8y agoUSAID's sending $1 million, with more apparently to come. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ebola-usaid-million-dr-congo_us_5aff24cce4b07309e057e077?1g5 https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ebola-usaid-million-dr-...