The PourQuoi of KwaZulu

Le Pour Quoi de KwaZulu - The What for KwaZulu

lundi 29 septembre 2014

Ebola The Ugly

IS EBOLA THE UGLY SISTER OF AIDS?

Thousands die in Africa’s agony – World leaders look the other way


 

The current outbreak of the Ebola virus started in late 2013 in the remote forests of Guinea and rapidly spread to multiple hotspots in 6 countries – Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria an din the past few days to Congo (RDC), Senegal.

Medecins sans Frontières (MSF) states that the spread of the virus is out of control, ‘an epidemic of a magnitude never before seen’, due to woefully inadequate medical facilities, especially in recently war-torn Liberia & Sierra Leone.

World Health Organisation (WHO) is blamed by MSF for drastically under-estimating the crisis and thus responding too little & too late. WHO has belatedly described the outbreak as a crisis of worldwide proportions and now project 20,000 deaths.

Leaders of industrialized countries are equally lambasted by MSF for ignoring the crisis.

To date over 3,000 cases have been reported, with 1,552 deaths, figures that increase daily. The death rate is as high as 90%.

The chilling MSF message is - “millions of lives are at risk - this is war”.

The African fruit bat, a delicacy when eaten dried, is thought to be the initial transmitter of the frequently named Vampire Virus. Additionally all bush animals – apes, monkeys, gazelles, rats, porcupines… the daily fare for villagers, if infected, pass on the virus to humans.

Transmission by infected humans is thru contact with bodily fluids and waste, including saliva, sweat and even a reported case of infection via a stolen mobile phone.

The Ebola virus is difficult to detect at the early incubation stage, when symptoms are similar to influenza with fever, headaches, diarrhoea, perspiration…
The virus then kicks in with ferocious force causing internal and external haemorrhaging, the collapse of vital organs and inevitably death within 5 to 12 days, accompanied by frequent infection of volunteer health workers.

No known cure exists to day, despite the first outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Congo in 1976. The most promising treatment is ZMapp, an experimental drug that has treated with apparent, but unequal success a small number of local and expat infected health workers. Produced by a tiny laboratory in San Diego, ZMapp stocks are exhausted.
Glaxo Kline Smith (GKS) is racing to develop a vaccine, which they will start testing on healthy people in African countries in September. They hope to have 10,000 doses ready by year-end.

The risk of geographical spread has caused West African countries to quarantine their affected neighbours.  Some 200 countries have introduced legal border and airport measures of surveillance and prevention of the spread thru entry by infected travellers & products.

Our Global Village is nonetheless at high risk thru the covert importation of infected bush meat, clothing, travel and the repatriation of sick health workers.

TIME4AFRICA – massive resources, research & funding must be urgently voted for a cure and life-saving in, much neglected, African countries, before this human tragedy becomes a Continental crisis which will, inevitably, land on our Western doorsteps to confirm our worst fears that Ebola is the ugly sister of AIDS.

WHAT CAN YOU & I DO? Prevention is better than cure – wash & disinfect hands at all appropriate moments; never eat imported bush meat; avoid previously worn clothing from suspect sources as well as unnecessary travel to the 6 countries…
And PLEASE DONATE to the heroic health-care NGOs working in the Ebola hotspots.

Zen4Zulu our Association has no direct involvement, lacking the necessary medical skills – we do however have 15 years of living & working in French-speaking West Africa, English/Swahili-speaking East Africa - with 3 years in Uganda and South Africa. Thus we can manage or advise the allocation of your donations to dedicated NGOs with qualified health-workers and minimal audited overheads.

Finally say a prayer for Africa. Nkosi sikele ‘I Afrika.

 

THIS IS A TEST FOR RICHARDS BLOG

jeudi 10 janvier 2013

 Zandile, 24 years, P.A to the President, her lovely daughter Knowledge is 7, Zandi has built her house, and she has a caring man. Another zen Zulu warrior winner.

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mardi 8 janvier 2013


Everything you want to know about South Africa from 1651 to today. Proceeds of th ebook sales go directly to help the children, the 1st post-Apartheid generation.