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be prioritized by African countries. Currently, most research into epidemics are conducted by international agencies and multinational corporations with little or no funding from indigenous African institution. Understanding the distribution and transmission of infectious diseases will improve scientific understanding which can help proffer effective prevention and control programs. More focused research institutions; Collaborative research among private companies and public institutions; Govt. funding to research; Shift in medical curriculums to emphasize medical research into infectious diseases and provide platforms for medical student’s engagement. All of the above will go a long way in preventing and adequately controlling epidemics in Africa.
improving effective deployment of vaccines. In the case of Ebola, ZMapp the experimental drug designed by Mapp Biopharmaceuticals, LeafBio, Defyrus Inc., US government and Public Health Agency of Canada was the miracle drug that saved a few lives when the outbreak hit West Africa in 2014 – 2016. This was a drug developed with little interest from researchers in the international community. Perhaps if more ZMapp or other similar drugs had been worked on, maybe it could have served as cure during the Ebola epidemic that claimed over 11,000 lives. Africa must begin to take proactive measures to win the war against epidemics. We must evaluate and improve on current measures of prevention, we must commit to research on outbreak and infectious diseases so as to provide novel and innovative solutions, we must tailor policies and funding to ensure that eventually no more live is lost to this scourge! References: 1. 2. 3.
4. 5.
“Emergency Preparedness and Response.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 Oct. 2017, emergency.cdc.gov/recentincidents/index.asp. “West Africa Could Be Hit by Outbreaks of Deadly Epidemics.” South China Morning Post, 11 Oct. 2017, www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/ article/2114985/west-africa-most-risk-outbreaks-deadly-epidemics. Pigott, David M, et al. “Local, National, and Regional Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Pandemic Potential in Africa: a Multistage Analysis.” The Lancet, vol. 390, no. 10113, 2017, pp. 2662–2672., doi:10.1016/s01406736(17)32092-5. Preston, Richard. “The Ebola Wars.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2014, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/10/27/ebola-wars. “Cerebrospinal Meningitis Outbreak in Nigeria, Situation Report.” Nigeria Center for Disease Control, 2 Jun.2017, http://ncdc.gov.ng/diseases/ sitreps/?cat=6&name=An%20Update%20of%20Meningitis%20Outbreak%20in%20Nigeria
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Vaccine research, into manufacturing more effective ones and solving the problems of logistics regarding vaccine administration can go a long way in preventing future epidemics. A key example is the Meningococcal meningitis outbreak in Nigeria. The outbreak was controlled by effective vaccination and in some cases revaccination of risk-age groups. The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has constantly advocated and funded research into more effective vaccines and innovations in vaccine transport. This has recently yielded a technology that can keep vaccines cold and potent for many days, hence, significantly
medical students worldwide| MM 2018, Egypt