Presented during the 2017 Presidential Peace Conference in Atlanta. Track A, Session 3: The Fight Against Polio

1. EBOLA RESPONSE – Lessons
Learned
Tom Crick
Associate Director, Conflict Resolution Program
The Carter Center
June 10, 2017

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West Africa Ebola Epidemic 2014-2015

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West Africa Ebola Epidemic 2014-2015
Source: World Health Organization

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INITIAL RESPONSE
 Slow and complicated
 Wide geographic spread of cases
 Poor public health and societal infrastructure
 Sociodemographic factors
 Local unfamiliarity with Ebola
 Distrust of government and health care workers
Source: CDC MMWR July 2016

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West Africa Ebola Epidemic 2014-2015

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LESSONS LEARNED
 Wake up call!
 Countries need effective systems to detect and
stop infectious disease threats
 Need for stronger international surge capacity
for times when countries are overwhelmed by an
outbreak
 Importance of improving infection prevention
and control in health care settings
Source: CDC MMWR July, 2016

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LESSONS LEARNED – cont.
Recommendations often focus on global
coordination
Strengthening local health care systems in low
and medium income countries
 Improve early warning and detection systems,
including scalable everyday systems that can be
expanded during an epidemic

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CARTER CENTER IN LIBERIA
Long term programming in Peace and Health –
Access to Justice, Access to Information, Elections,
Mental Health
What to do?
Mobilize Access to Justice networks, particularly
chiefs

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FROM RESISTANCE TO ASSISTANCE

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FROM RESISTANCE TO ASSISTANCE
Dialogue and consensus building
Facilitating active leadership and ownership in response by
Chiefs
Bridge(s) between science and action
Community Entry
Communication
Community practices
Strategic input

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FROM RESISTANCE TO ASSISTANCE cont.

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SCALABLE LOCAL SYSTEMS REQUIRE….
Understand barriers to trust
Identify and listen to agents of change
Usable, timely, and relevant information
Local ownership of the approach
Quick and flexible funding
Sustained relationships through use

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LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

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THANK YOU PLENTY!