A top World Health Organization (WHO) official said here Tuesday the outbreak of the Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) needed the most unusual response by the international community to contain it.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, former WHO Deputy Regional Director for Africa, said the epidemic had taken the world by surprise, starting with the country where it first unexpectedly manifested itself, and the WHO whom it took a bit of a while to diagnose.
The Ebola outbreak continues to wreck some countries in Africa, particularly the West African countries of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, despite many efforts to contain its further spread.
Dr. Moeti acknowledged that the speed of the epidemic had outstripped the level of resources and the scale of operations on the ground to contain it, adding that the setting up of the UN Ebola Mission in Ghana would ensure the ramping up of operations to halt its spread.
"I think it has dawned now very clearly on everybody that this is quite an extraordinary situation and it needs the most unusual response which is why we have this UN Mission that is being established in Ghana," she told Xinhua in an interview during a recent visit to Ghana.
The latest WHO figures show the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has killed more than 4,500 people across Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, the three worst-hit countries.
Dr. Moeti lauded Ghana's work and preparedness to contain the Ebola outbreak even though all reported cases had tested negative.
According to her, Ghana has put in place a plan to contain the disease, with first response institutions having been identified and some protective materials procured for healthcare workers.
Additionally, the training of healthcare workers has been carried out.
"So, I think the country (Ghana) is very much in the process of getting prepared for a possible Ebola outbreak which we keep our fingers crossed that it does not happen," she noted.
She urged African governments to invest in health since it plays a very integral part of Africa's positive development and will pay dividends for the continent's positive trajectory.
"Of course, we continue to require and need international assistance in our health systems and in our development and also development assistance. But I think this has to be linked to our own priorities and our own resources in a way that is synergistic and brings the most benefit and positive health outcomes," the official said.
"It is a very exciting time to try to get into this leadership. Things are moving positively in the African continent," said Dr. Moeti, who is vying for the position of WHO Regional Director for Africa.
She hoped that the number of nurses and doctors doing different functions that were needed, especially to slow down the rate of infection, would increase very quickly.