Months into the Ebola crisis that has gripped African countries and the apathetic effort by nations to contain it, the progress report is unflattering — thanks to corruption and the lack of will. Money being earmarked as aid has been vanishing. The death toll records a steady rise and thousands remain infected due to poor medical facilities. Lack of preparedness, living in denial and dearth of funds have been the highlights of the effort to fight Ebola. This is evidenced by the fact that the first Ebola outbreak was recorded in 1976. There have been 20 outbreaks since then and the world has failed to recognise this infectious disease as a problem. That ignorance has come at a very high price, seeing that the disease has been ravaging states like Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
Africa has the capacity and capability to solve its own problems, but that requires a proper utilisation of human resources. Heads of state have also shown that they would rather palm off the problem to external sources for assistance rather than listening to their own experts. The focus should not be on the lack of funds, but on the misuse of it. Organisations like the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States and the West African Health Organisation need to get their acts together. External assets will pack their bags and leave if and when the problem is contained, but it is up to the African nations to sit down and draw up a long-term plan for a problem which, for now, has gone out of control. African leaders must adopt collective and collaborative measures to ensure their people see a sliver of hope.
