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The 2014–2016 Ebola Outbreak and Responses of Africa

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The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Problems

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Abstract

Pandemics are global social and health problems that are creating political shocks, economic paralysis, social disharmony, and cultural decay. The outbreak of various pandemics globally had added to the numerous social insecurities around the globe, particularly in the contemporary disentangled complex interconnected world. The emergence of COVID-19 terrified and shocked the world in awe owing to its rapid spread but it has not made scholars forget the devastating effects and dangers of other recent global pandemics such as Ebola virus diseases (EVD) specifically in Africa in 2014 and 2016. This study considered the Ebola outbreak in Africa as an interesting subject of study being a serious global social problem that has not ended so far because even in 2022 in February, the virus reappeared in some African countries. The virus is more lethal than any global pandemic existing owing to its percentage of casualties ranging between 80% and 90%, and the weaknesses of the African countries financially and socially to counter it and collapsing health infrastructure in the affected states. This study utilized documented sources using an empirical approach in which statistical data on the virus and its effects were assembled, analyzed, and interpreted. The study discovered that while the EVD had its root in Europe in Marburg, Germany; it has been successfully managed there but the African countries are still devastated by the virus in 2014 and 2016 outbreaks and the virus is still threatening to break out at any time as it resurfaced in February 2022. This is partly due to weak responses, inadequate health infrastructure, poor financial status, and failure of the global health institutions to pay much attention to the virus because it is mainly Africa that is affected. The study recommends among others that African states must dedicate a considerable percentage of their budgets to providing sound health care delivery and infrastructures that can respond to emergencies and pandemics such as Ebola and COVID-19.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Administration, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Nigeria

    Usman Sambo

  2. Department of International Relations, Federal University of Kashere, Gombe, Nigeria

    Babayo Sule

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  1. Usman Sambo
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  2. Babayo Sule
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Sambo, U., Sule, B. (2023). The 2014–2016 Ebola Outbreak and Responses of Africa. In: The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Problems. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-68127-2_351-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-68127-2_351-1

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-68127-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-68127-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Social SciencesReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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