The United States must increase its involvement in the worldwide effort to stop the current outbreak of Ebola in West Africa.
This outbreak of Ebola is the worst in world history. The horrific disease kills over 60% of those who contract it in less than three weeks. There is no known treatment. Global health efforts in past outbreaks focused on isolating those infected and containing the outbreak. As of late June, there are 390 cases of the infection, rural and urban, spanning three countries. Current efforts at containment are failing.
ECOWAS has called for our help. The CDC has only a small team helping international efforts. As leaders in health and human rights, we must fund a larger CDC/NIH initiative in developing vaccines and treatments for this virus to end this epidemic.