Abstract

THE FACE OF EBOLA AND HIV/AIDS EPIDEMICS WHEN IT STARTED IN AFRICA: HOW WAS IT VIEWED?

Ogboi-Gibson Sharon* and Ogboi Sonny Johnbull

ABSTRACT

The current public health concern over Ebola in Africa brings back some bad memories of deaths from diseases of poverty such as Tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS; Ebola is the most recent addition to the list. Like all of the others, Ebola is now accelerating poverty and social hardship as a result of its negative impact on economic activities. West African countries are facing a humanitarian crisis of extraordinary proportion. Ebola and HIV/AIDS epidemics have devastated the already fragile countries, damaged by years of civil war through loss of revenue accrual from tourism, trade, and agriculture. Comparisons between the two deadly diseases surfaced in the last few months as the Ebola outbreak escalated. Both emerged from Africa and erupted into an international health crisis. And both have been a shocking reminder that mankind's battle against infectious diseases can take a sudden, terrible turn for the worse. Furthermore, these epidemics have had widespread social and economic consequences, not only in the health sector but also in education, industry and development. There is therefore an urgent need for a more aggressive public health education on both diseases, particularly for Governments, non-governmental organizations, the media, and communities to take diseases prevention and control issues to the front burner.

Keywords: Tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS and Ebola.