title: The Ebola epidemic in West Africa: challenges, opportunities, and policy priority areas.
abstract: The ongoing Ebola epidemic in West Africa has drawn attention to global health inequalities, in particular the inadequacies of health care systems in sub-Saharan African countries for appropriately managing and containing infectious diseases. The purpose of this article is to examine the sociopolitical and economic conditions that created the environment for the Ebola epidemic to occur, identify challenges to and opportunities for the prevention and control of Ebola and future outbreaks, and discuss policy recommendations and priority areas for addressing the Ebola epidemic and future outbreaks in West Africa. Articles in peer-reviewed journals on health system reforms in developing countries and periodicals of international organizations were used to gather the overview reported in this article. We identify individual, structural, and community challenges that must be addressed in an effort to reduce the spread of Ebola in West Africa. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa underscores the need for the overhaul and transformation of African health care systems to build the capacity in these countries to address infectious diseases. Public-private partnerships for investment in developing countries' health care systems that involve the international community are critical in addressing the current Ebola epidemic and future outbreaks.
authors: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, College of Nursing, Milwaukee, WI. Electronic address: aaronbg@uwm.edu.
authors: Aaron G
authors: AG
authors: Buseh
authors: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, College of Nursing, Milwaukee, WI.
authors: Patricia E
authors: PE
authors: Stevens
authors: WaterSHED International, Glendale, WI.
authors: Mel
authors: M
authors: Bromberg
authors: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, College of Nursing, Milwaukee, WI.
authors: Sheryl T
authors: ST
authors: Kelber
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western / Q000453:epidemiology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003906:Developing Countries; D058872:Epidemics; D006291:Health Policy; D006292:Health Priorities; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans
keywords: Ebola epidemic in West Africa; Global health; Health care systems in sub-Saharan Africa; Health systems improvement
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