Ebola | EssayIvy.com

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Abstract

Ebola is one of the most dangerous conditions in the world today. Once it outbreaks, it spreads

fast when individuals contact bodily fluids from the infected individuals. The condition has a

short incubation period (two days) in which the person starts to exhibit the symptoms that

include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches. The virus affects the functions of important

body organs, including the liver and the kidney, which are likely to lead to death sooner.

Handling people infected with the virus requires absolute protection to ensure that one does not

contact any fluids from the person with the condition. There is no proven vaccine or treatment

for Ebola now, but it is possible to increase the survival of a person by giving them fluids

occasionally. The current nature of the condition and the threat it poses to the world requires

further research to introduce preventive measures and treatment in the future.

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Table of Contents

Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Literature Review .......................................................................................................................................... 3

Background ............................................................................................................................................... 3

Ecology ..................................................................................................................................................... 5

Poor nursing practices and cultural beliefs .............................................................................................. 6

Shortage of healthcare workers ................................................................................................................ 7

Poorly equipped facilities ......................................................................................................................... 8

Poor infrastructure ................................................................................................................................... 9

Methodology ............................................................................................................................................... 10

Research design ...................................................................................................................................... 10

Sample ..................................................................................................................................................... 10

Data collection ........................................................................................................................................ 11

Interview ............................................................................................................................................. 11

Questionnaire ...................................................................................................................................... 11

Results ......................................................................................................................................................... 11

Discussion ................................................................................................................................................... 13

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 15

Recommendations ....................................................................................................................................... 15

Proper healthcare staff training ............................................................................................................. 15

Improve infrastructure ............................................................................................................................ 16

Awareness programs ............................................................................................................................... 16

Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................ 18

Appendices .................................................................................................................................................. 20

Appendix one ........................................................................................................................................... 20

Appendix two ........................................................................................................................................... 22

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Ebola Outbreak in Africa

Introduction

Ebola is a relatively new condition that was first heard in 1976. Then, three hundred and eighteen

people showed the symptoms of the condition, of which two hundred and eighty succumbed to

the condition. The case of 1976 was unique in that many people that got the condition after the

initial cases got it in the hospital. At the time, it was common practice in the region for nurses to

use one syringe for injections in the region because of the dire healthcare problems. According to

Vidal, of all the three hundred and eighteen people treated for the uncommon condition only five

syringes were used (176). The isolated causative was named Ebola after a small river near the

villages these cases were reported in Zaire. The strange condition and its spread among people in

the villages led to the revelation that it was spread when people were exposed to bodily fluids of

another person. Other outbreaks or Ebola were experienced in 1995, 2000, 2001, 3007, and 2014.

The latest case of 2014 was concerning because the Centers for Disease Control estimates that

more than 17,000 people were infected, and more than ten thousand died (1). Additionally, the

condition spread in all continents, which made people think that it would be an apocalypse.

Ebola spreads through bodily fluids and its incubation period is between two and twenty-one

days. The major symptoms associated with the condition include chills, chest pains, shortness of

breath, headache, confusion, coma, vomiting, diarrhea, and severe abdominal pains. Many

questions arise regarding the outbreak of Ebola in Africa because these scenarios have become

common in the recent years and have severe fatalities.

Literature Review

Background. Ebola has a short history for it was not reported until 1976. It is in the classification

of filoviruses and is thought to be a common illness among wild animals in the rain forests

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around Central and Western Africa. The relation between animals and Ebola started in 1969

when German vaccine workers got the Marburg viral condition that they acquired from infected

monkeys got from Congo. Marburg and Ebola viruses belong to the same class, filoviruses, and

have the same clinical manifestations (World Health Organization 1). When a disease with a

strange causative agent was reported in Zaire and Sudan in 1976, some scientists related the two

and noted that the symptoms were similar. The fast spread of the condition in Zaire around the

Ebola River astonished many scientists and health professionals, which encouraged them to

perform epidemiological studies there. Scientists successfully isolated a singular RNA virus that

was named after the place it affected many people in Zaire (Feldmann and Geisbert 849).

There was no other incidence of Ebola until 1994 when an ethnologist who had worked

in Tai forest in Côte d’Ivoire exhibited the symptoms atypical to those of the viral disease.

Further research indicated that the ethnologist had done necropsy on an infected chimpanzee

(Centers for Disease Control 1). In the same year, 1994, there was an Ebola outbreak in Gabon,

which killed at least 30 people. In the following three years, cases of Ebola were reported in

South Africa, Zaire, United States, and Russia. Further outbreaks were reported in Uganda, the

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Sudan, and Russia between 2000 and 2004. In these

outbreaks, the fatality rate was between 53 and 100% (Centers for Disease Control 1). There

were outbreaks of the viral disease again between 2007 and 2009 in Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Uganda, and the Philippines (Centers for Disease Control 1). Other outbreaks occurred

between 2011 and 2013 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. From March

2014, an Ebola outbreak was reported in Liberia, which soon spread to other countries, including

Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leon, Mali, Spain, United States, Italy, and United Kingdom

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(Centers for Disease Control 1). Estimates for the infected individuals stand at twenty-eight

thousand with more than ten thousand deaths.

Ecology. The fact that Ebola outbreaks occur in one region (Central and West Africa) raises

questions about whether there are specific factors that enhance the development of the viral

disease. According to Ealy and Dehlinger, the equatorial forests of Central and Western Africa

present the necessary ecological requirements to harbor Ebola virus (6). This is through a

specific link between animals and human beings living there. The virus exists as a Zoonosis in

some mammals, mostly thought rainforest bats, and have the ability to infect animals. There are

suggestions that animals, mostly primates in these forests contact the bat feaces on fruits, which

mostly led to infection. When human beings encounter the infected animals, they automatically

get the infection. People in the rainy forests of Central and Western Africa usually take bush

meat, which increases their chances of becoming infected, especially if they take meat from

infected animals. Although this is the commonly thought perspective, there are suggestions that

not all bats are reservoirs for the Ebola virus (Ealy and Dehlinger 6).

Understanding how Ebola outbreaks occur is more complicated than just considering the

infection cycle of animals and human beings. According to Ealy and Dehlinger, Ebola outbreaks

occur at certain times only (8). They are of the perception that climatic changes increase the

chances of Ebola outbreak. Their studies indicate that there were abrupt climatic changes when

Ebola outbreaks occurred between 1981 and 2000. Ealy and Dehlinger indicate that there were

sudden changes in climate from dry to wet conditions (8). In such cases, few trees produce fruits

that are common to the primates and bats. These animals are likely to interact in their quests to

search for food, which increases the chances of infection. The infected animals pass the viral

disease to humans when the later hunt for bush meat or when doing physiological studies.

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On the same, there are suggestions that the changing landscapes in Africa are also

playing a role in Ebola outbreak. Aron and Patz state that deforestation, which is common in

these parts of Africa, is to blame for the Ebola outbreak (172). They believe that forests offer

protection against animal diseases, for example, Ebola and other common animal diseases. When

human beings encroach on the forests, they increase the chances of interacting with the wild

animals. Such scenarios increase the chances of getting common animal infections. According to

Aron and Patz, the Ebola outbreak of the 1990s in Zaire was because of increased deforestation

(172). They warn that continued deforestation will lead to even worse and complex animal-

related diseases in the future. Scientists are confident that there are many unknown

microorganisms in these dense forests and interaction with human beings could be disastrous.

The main challenge is devising sustainable ways to regulate deforestation considering that the

population in these regions is growing very fast, among the highest in the world, which increases

the need to cultivate further into the forests to get enough food (Aron and Patz).

Poor nursing practices and cultural beliefs. Nursing practices in Central and Western Africa are

poor compared to those of the developing and developed nations. Magil and colleagues state that

nursing practices in Africa are extremely poor, especially in the rural regions where most of the

Ebola outbreaks started (332). Most nurses and doctors in the rural health care facilities are quick

to prescribe medicine without confirmation of the condition a person is suffering from. In the

Ebola outbreaks in Zaire in 1976 and Ivory Coast in 1994, the medics in the healthcare facilities

treated the patients for malaria. Although the patients exhibited such symptoms, it is always

important to confirm the condition before prescription (Magil et al. 332). Smith states that the

cases of Ebola outbreak in Central and West Africa are not unique because they are all the same

(19). He states that the nurses and doctors in the rural facilities have a tendency of using syringes

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to serve many people. They also do not understand the importance o f sterilization, which they

rarely do when they are serving patients.

Cultural practices also play an important role in the spread of Ebola in Central and West

Africa. According to the World Health Organization, the burial and funeral rites in these regions

are strange in many ways (1). Most tribes in the region have a tendency of using the water used

to wash corpses before burial for anointing individuals. Some individuals even bath in such

waters with the aim of getting blessings from the dead person. Many communities in the region

also believe that a dead person deserves compassionate care before they are buried. These

communities disregard death and continue treating the corpse specially, for example, sleeping

next to it, washing it, and even dressing it. If the dead person died of Ebola, all the individuals

that encounter the waters used to wash them or touch the body in preparation for the burial are

likely to get Ebola (World Health Organization 1). Although the communities understand the

risks that come with such practices, most are unwilling to stop these cultural practices, which

increase the chances of Ebola spread. There are suggestions that these cultural practices are the

greatest contributors of the spread of Ebola in Central and Western Africa (Alexander et al;

Nielsen et al. 20)

Shortage of healthcare workers. These two things would dictate the containment of Ebola before

it becomes an outbreak. In the regions that Ebola is common, there is shortage of healthcare

workers. Naicker, Plange-rule, Tutt, and Eastwood claim that healthcare systems in most African

countries are wanting because there are fewer healthcare workers (S1-60). In these countries, the

number of doctors and nurses serving the population is below the World Health Organization

requirement that at least two doctors should serve a population if ten thousand individuals. The

problem is magnified in countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone that have had a share of Civil

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war (World Health Organization 1). The shortage of healthcare workers is mostly because of

immigration, whereby, most go to the developed countries where there are more opportunities

for career growth. In most African countries, the healthcare workers lack postgraduate programs

that would advance their career (Naicker, Plange-rule, Tutt, and Eastwood S1-62). In addition,

the salaries in the developed countries are an attraction to many healthcare professionals from the

developing nations.

The shortage of healthcare staff in the developing nations is likely to affect the rural

regions more. According to Soucat, Scheffler, and Ghebreyesus, there is a wide variation in the

distribution of healthcare works in these countries, whereby, most prefer to be within regions

where the wealthy people live (137). Most of the healthcare professionals live in the large urban

centers where they are likely to make a good living. There is a consideration that there is no

money in the rural areas, which is true. Most people in rural Africa live in abject poverty, which

is the discouraging factor for the healthcare professionals. Considering that most people in Africa

live in the rural areas, the number of healthcare workers there is required to serve a population

that beyond the World Health Organization by far (Naicker et al S1-63). Another issue that

comes up in the rural regions is the unwillingness of the people there to use the modern medical

services. In regions like the Central and Western Africa, most people still appreciate medicine

men and traditional herbs as the ultimate cure (World Health Organization 1). Even when the

people in the rural regions notice unusual diseases, like the symptoms of Ebola, they believe in

their traditional doctors.

Poorly equipped facilities. The healthcare facilities in most African countries are poorly

equipped even for the basic equipments. Facts on File Incorporated states that most African

healthcare facilities have little supplies, which leads to poor sterilization of equipment, re-use of

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some of the equipment for example, syringes (46). In some cases, healthcare facilities lack

important supplies, which prompt them to ask the patients to go purchase their own equipment

for use. These conditions are ripe for an outbreak like Ebola. In fact, most of the Ebola outbreaks

in Central and Western Africa have been because of insufficient supplies in the local healthcare

facilities. Poor disease surveillance adds to the problem as Tambo and colleagues state (2). In

these regions, most healthcare professionals lack the knowledge to differentiate between

diseases. In most of the outbreaks, healthcare professionals are quick to treat the condition based

on the symptoms they see in a patient rather than do tests to determine the exact cause of the

ailment. This is partly due to the poor surveillance knowledge and lack of equipment in the

facilities, especially in the rural Africa (Tambo, Ugwu, and Ngogang 2).

Under these conditions, the healthcare professionals are likely to contact the bodily fluids

from the patients, which put them at risk of contracting dangerous diseases. McGill states that

most healthcare workers in Central and Western Africa risk their lives when saving others (1).

On example of such a person is Khan, who was a physician at a small government hospital in

Sierra Leon. In his quest to save lives, Khan contracted Ebla and passed later on (McGill 1). The

major issue of concern in this case is the fact that these individuals lacked protective gear when

handling patients exhibiting symptoms that resemble those of Ebola. The healthcare

professionals like Khan, who are committed to do their work diligently, end up dying from such

a disease. McGill is convinced that hundreds of doctors and nurses pass when they contract such

a condition when there is a large outbreak (3). The World Health Organization admitted that

many healthcare professionals working in Liberia and Sierra Leon contracted Ebola virus.

Poor infrastructure. This is one of the largest problems in Central and Western Africa. The

countries that experience Ebola outbreaks have extremely poor infrastructure. This is a challenge

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because it makes it practically impossible to launch a quick response in the case of Ebola

outbreak (World Health Organization 1). The problem of poor infrastructure is common in the

countries affected by Ebola epidemic, for example, Liberia and Sierra Leon that were in a civil

war. Although peace has prevailed in these countries in the recent past, their infrastructure is yet

to catch up. These are among the poorest nations on earth and depend on international assistance

for most projects. Considering their situation, most of the donation is for provision of basic

amenities, including food. The poor infrastructure makes it very challenging for healthcare

officials and international organizations to access the rural regions, where most of the Ebola

outbreaks start (World Health Organization 1). In addition, the healthcare infrastructure is also

very poor and there are fewer healthcare institutions, especially in the rural regions and slums.

The few facilities in such regions do not have the required equipment to address cases of strange

illnesses like Ebola. They lack proper laboratories, which increases the chances of treating the

wrong condition, malaria mostly instead of Ebola because the two have similar symptoms.

Methodology

Research design. To understand Ebola outbreak better, this study interviewed medical

professionals in one of the major hospitals in the country. Although these professionals are here,

they have a lot of knowledge on factors that could increase the chances of outbreak of Ebola in

Africa. The study used cost effective methods, interviews and questionnaires, to get this

information. To make it easy for the medical staff, they were informed beforehand what was

being done and the objective. In addition, we understood that these individuals are usually busy

and we structured the interviews during their free time as per their convenience.

Sample. The medical staff selected was from the infectious diseases department, but the

individual participants were randomly selected. The idea behind this selection was the perception

that the medical staff in this department had more knowledge on diseases like Ebola. Some of

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them were studying the patterns of the condition with the objective of understanding it better.

After the interviews, they were given questionnaires to fill. The questionnaire had open-end

questions that were easy to fill and took a short time to complete. In total, twenty individuals

filled the questionnaire and one, the head of the Infectious Diseases Department was

interviewed.

Data collection.

Interview

(Appendix one)

Questionnaire

(Appendix two)

Results

Of all the people that filled the questionnaires, there is an agreement that Ebola tends to outbreak

from one region only. They further agree that cultural practices and poor infrastructure in the

regions influence the spread of the condition. Another factor most of the staffs agree on is that

healthcare workers are at risk of contracting Ebola easily, especially when handling people with

the condition. Additionally, there is an agreement that no person or country is safe from Ebola.

The factors that were contentious are that it is possible to contain Ebola and that there is a

shortage of healthcare workers in central and Western Africa.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Questionnaire results chart

Ebola outbreaks in one region

Risk factors are preventable

Cultural practices influence the spread of Ebola.

Poor healthcare and road infrastructure increase the spread of Ebola.

Healthcare professionals are at risk of contracting Ebola.

There is a shortage of healthcare workers in Central and West Africa.

It is possible to contain Ebola.

No person or state is safe from Ebola

Table indicating the factors tabulated in the bar chart

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Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

General sentiments from the questionnaire

Discussion

It is clear that Ebola outbreak in Africa is a problem that concerns many people across the world.

The recent outbreak proved that the viral disease could spread across the world in a short period

and deliver disastrous consequences on the people. The question that arises is why the condition

outbreaks in one region only. Many studies have shown that there are many reasons that Ebola

outbreaks are mostly reported in the Central and West Africa. On the top of the list is the

ongoing practice by the people in these regions. They are used to bush meat, through which they

are infected. Studies by Ealy and Dehlinger indicate that wild animals eaten by the people living

near rainforests in Central and West Africa are likely to get infected from bats, which are thought

to be the hosts for the Ebola virus (6). The conditions that make this possible are the abrupt

climatic changes, which increase the chances of bats and wild animals interacting. In such times,

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there is food shortage yet bats and most of the wild primates share food sources, especially wild

fruits. The interaction between these animals increases the chances of the primates being

infected.

The infected primates are likely to be in close contact with human beings in the region.

This is facilitated by the fact that deforestation in the region is taking place at a fast rate.

According to Aron and Patz, the cutting down of the forests reduces the distance between wild

animals and human beings, thereby increasing the chances of the later of being infected by Ebola

and other infectious diseases. This factor is a challenge to address because there are no other

sustainable solutions for settling the increasing population. In addition, the forests provide fertile

lands for farming, which seems to be the only way to guarantee food security in these countries.

In this case, the governments of the region have no option but to allow people to continue with

the deforestation process.

Other challenges that increase the chances of Ebola outbreak are poor infrastructure, few

healthcare professionals, lack of good surveillance methods, and ill-equipped healthcare

facilities. All these factors are related and they all increase the spread of Ebola in the case of an

outbreak. When a single case of Ebola is reported in the rural regions, the healthcare staffs

working in the healthcare facilities are likely to misdiagnose Ebola. History indicates that most

of the professionals think the symptoms the patients show are those of malaria and give medicine

to cure that. They do not have good laboratories and do not have to test the patient to determine

the condition. In addition, they are likely to share the equipment used by such a patient with

other patients, which increases the chances of spreading. When the patients’ symptoms worsen,

the healthcare professionals do not have the necessary resources at hand to transport the patients

to better healthcare facilities in the major cities. Even if they have such resources, the road

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networks and infrastructure are terrible, which makes it a challenge for such quests. The lack of

equipment also poses a risk to the healthcare professionals, who are likely to encounter the

bodily fluids of the infected individuals. Some studies indicate that healthcare professionals are

infected with Ebola in their quests to save the ailing individuals.

Conclusion

Ebola presents one of the most challenging scenarios to the African continent. There are many

reasons why the outbreak of this lethal viral disease keeps happening in the same region. Studies

quoted in this paper indicate that poor infrastructure, climate change, deforestation, ill-equipped

healthcare facilities, poor surveillance methods, and cultural practices to be the leading

influencers of the spread of Ebola. All these factors are inter-related and there is a need to

address them sustainable to ensure that there are no further outbreaks of the condition. In the

worst-case scenario of an Ebola proved case, containment would be possible. However, the

governments of these countries and the international community need to collaborate to meet

these objectives.

Recommendations

Proper healthcare staff training. This is one of the strategies that can help in preventing the

spread of Ebola in Central and West Africa. Studies indicate that the inability of healthcare

professionals to detect Ebla symptoms is one of the leading causes of further spread. The training

would include ways to differentiate Ebola from other conditions that have similar symptoms, the

basic protective care, and ways of handling the people with Ebola-like symptoms. The

governments in these countries should ensure that all healthcare staffs have this training

regardless of whether they are based in the cities or the rural areas. The government can also

perform simulated scenarios to ensure that the healthcare professionals execute such cases with

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absolute precision. In addition, simulated case scenarios help to prepare the health care staffs

psychologically, which is important in handling such cases.

Improve infrastructure. This can play an important role in containing Ebola cases in the event of

an outbreak. The first line would be ensuring that the healthcare facilities have the right

equipment to handle Ebola cases. The governments of these nations should consider having well

equipped hospitals in Ebola hotspots to ensure that the healthcare professionals there are likely to

detect the viral disease fast. The hotspots should include regions that are near forests and places

where there is a high chance of animals and human being interactions, for example, national

parks. The government should also consider improving roads and other methods of

transportation in the country. This helps the medical professionals to transport people suspected

to have Ebola faster to advanced medical facilities. Good infrastructure can help in the

containment of Ebola suspected cases faster, which would prevent further spread. Since most of

the countries affected by Ebola outbreaks are poor, they can collaborate with international

organizations that fund such initiatives to improve the infrastructure. It is a worth course and

most institutions would be willing to fund such projects.

Awareness programs. Awareness programs can also have an impact containing the spread of

Ebola. Such programs would be important in first making the people understand how some of

their cultural practices increase the spread of Ebola. For example, the practice of bathing with

water used to wash corpses by some communities in West Africa increases the chance of being

infected, especially if the person died of Ebola. Whereas it is important to follow cultural

practices and beliefs, understanding the risk can help these people look for alternative strategies

of honoring their dead. The international community has helped some communities in Liberia

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and Sierra Leon to understand the possible effects of these practices and appreciate alternative

ways.

On the same, international organizations and the local governments can collaborate to

teach people about Ebola. This is important because the condition spreads in villages because the

people there lack knowledge to differentiate symptoms of Ebola and other conditions. Another

important thing is informing the people what they need to do in the case they suspect one of their

own is infected. In such cases, the best thing is for them to call medical professionals and desist

from interacting with such a person. This knowledge is likely to help villagers to collaborate in

such cases, whereby, if a person suspects that they have contracted Ebola, they would stay in

isolation without feeling bad until medical professionals arrive. Awareness programs can also

help the villagers to desist from taking game meat. Although it is an important tradition, it is one

of the things that increase the spread of Ebola. These programs can help these people to look for

alternatives, to ensure that their interaction with the wild animals is minimal.

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Works Cited

Alexander, Kathleen A., et al. “What Factors Might Have Led to the Emergence of Ebola in

West Africa?” Neglected Tropical Diseases 9.6(2015): e0003652. Print.

Aron, Joan L., and Jonathan A. Patz. Ecosystem Change and Public Health: A Global

Perspective. Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Press, 2001. Print.

Centers for Disease Control. Outbreaks Chronology: Ebola Virus Disease. CDC, 25 November

2015. Web. 27 November 2015.

Ealy, George, and Carolyn A. Dehlinger. Ebola. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers,

2015. Print.

Facts on File Incorporated. Pandemics and Global Health. Philadelphia, PA: InfoBase

Publishing, 2010. Print.

Feldmann, Heinz, and Thomas W. Geisbert. "Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever." The Lancet 377.9768

(2011): 849-62. Print.

Magil, Alan J., G. Thomas Strickland, James H. Maguire, Edward T Ryan, and Tom Solomon.

Hunter's Tropical Medicine and Emerging Infectious Disease. London, England: Elsevier

Health Sciences, 2012. Print.

McGill, Natalie. “Health workers put themselves at risk for Ebola while saving lives: Shortage of

staff, supplies a concern.” The Nation's Health October 44.8(2014) 1-16. Print.

Naicker, Saraladevi, Jacob Plange-rule, Roger C. Tutt, and John B. Eastwood. “Shortage of

healthcare workers in developing countries—Africa.” Ethnicity & Disease 19.1(2009):

S1-60-S1-64.

Nielsen, Carrie F et al. “Improving Burial Practices and Cemetery Management During an Ebola

Virus Disease Epidemic — Sierra Leone, 2014”. Weekly 64.1(2015): 20-27. Print.

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Smith, Tara C. Ebola. Philadelphia, PA: InfoBase Publishing, 2009. Print.

Soucat, Agnes, Richard Scheffler, and Tedros Ghebreyesus. The Labor Market for Health

Workers in Africa: A New Look at the Crisis. Washington, DC: World Bank Publications.

Tambo, Ernest, Emmanuel Chidiebere Ugwu, and Jeane Yonkeu Ngogang. “Need of

Surveillance Response Systems to Combat Ebola Outbreaks and Other Emerging

Infectious Diseases in African Countries.” Infectious Diseases of Poverty 3 (2014): 29.

Vidal, Yinka. How to Prevent the Spread of Ebola: Effective Strategies to Reduce Hospital

Acquired Infections. St Louis, MO: Lara Publications Inc, 2015. Print.

World Health Organization. Factors that contributed to undetected spread of the Ebola virus and

impeded rapid containment. WHO, January 2015. Web. 27 November 2015.

World Health Organization. Marburg haemorrhagic fever. WHO, November 2012. Web. 27

November 2015.

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Appendices

Appendix one

Interview (Mr X; Head of Infectious Diseases Department).

Interviewer: What is Ebola?

Mr. X: It is a hemorrhagic fever with disastrous consequences.

Interviewer: When did you hear of Ebola?

Mr. X: I first heard about it when in college. It was disturbing to know its fatality rate.

Interviewer: Who is at risks of contracting Ebola?

Mr. X: Every person is at risk. If you look at the recent case, normal people and health care staff

contracted the condition.

Interviewer: Why do you think it starts in the same region?

Mr. X: The region faces many challenges, including poor infrastructure, lack of enough

healthcare staff, poor healthcare facilities, poor surveillance systems, and weird cultural

practices, which enhance the spread of the viral disease.

Interviewer: What do you think are the risk factors?

Mr. X: deforestation, taking bush meat, and the recent revelation that climate change has an

effect

Interviewer: Do you think the government of this region can help eradicate the menace?

Mr. X: Yes, they can. The first thing they need to do is engage in intense awareness campaigns

to teach people about the condition, the risk factors, and preventive measures. The governments

can also recruit healthcare staffs and pay them well to ensure that they are prepared for any

eventuality. In addition, the governments can collaborate with international organizations like the

World Health Organization for the same purpose.

Interviewer: What do you think will stop the spread of Ebola in the region?

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Mr. X: understanding of the risk factors, government involvement, and improvement of

infrastructure, including roads and hospitals

Interviewer: Are we safe from Ebola?

Mr. X: Unfortunately, we are not. The recent outbreak spread to all continents, which is an

indication that no person or country is safe from the viral condition.

Interviewer: Do you think there can be a cure for the condition?

Mr. X: definitely. The major challenge about Ebola is that it is a relatively new disease and it is

evolving. However, the advancements in technology will help us get cure on time. Already, there

is a vaccine on clinical trial.

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Appendix two

Demographic Data

Gender _______________________

Occupation _______________________

Age _______________________

Questionnaire

Strongly

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly

Disagree

1.Ebola outbreaks in one region

2. Risk factors are preventable

3. Cultural practices influence the spread of

Ebola.

4. Poor healthcare and road infrastructure

increase the spread of Ebola.

5. Healthcare professionals are at risk of

contracting Ebola.

6. There is a shortage of healthcare workers

in Central and West Africa.

7. It is possible to contain Ebola.

8. No person or state is safe from Ebola.

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