Disinfecting the virus

The West African countries’ resolve to eradicate Ebola has made strides. But the attempt has fallen short of expectations, primarily because the virus-hit states lack basic essentials to ensure ‘zero-infections’. Reports say they are in need of supplements as small as soaps for sanitation purposes, thermometers to check body temperature and several other pharmaceutical essentials. This is a pathetic situation to account for after the developed Western countries and the United Nations pledged huge donations.

This status quo on the eve of reopening of schools is untenable, and necessitates immediate action. The schools that were used as camp hospitals and rehabilitation centres should be thoroughly disinfected. Guinea has already reopened its schools, and Liberia and Sierra Leone plan to do so shortly. The good thing, however, is that the dreaded disease has been widely brought under the scanner and the number of cases reported in the last few weeks had fallen drastically.

The virus, which has claimed more than 9,000 lives to this day, is slowly being tackled with the help of vaccine that was shipped to Liberia recently on an experimental basis. What needs to be done instantly is that the hygienic conditions in the impacted regions improved, so that there is no fallout once school pupil return to their classes, and the wards are vaccinated comprehensively.