Introduction
Despite a broad system of developmental achievements in the field of healthcare, the modern world encounters severe health threats that impact various populations across the globe. The quality and security of people’s lives are measured by their health status and the ability to access high-quality care on demand. The disparity of populations and countries with different developmental statuses implies the varying levels of exposure to health threats, one of the most dangerous of which is infectious diseases. Global health depends on the contribution of all the countries of the world. Therefore, it is crucial to collect and analyze data concerning the most important global health issues to protect people and prevent adverse outcomes. In this paper, the populations impacted by Ebola and the measures to eliminate this disease are discussed.
Ebola Virus Disease as a Threat to Global Health
The modern world is exposed to a variety of viruses that develop and mutate endangering lives of millions of people. Ebola virus disease (EVD) is one of the most dangerous infectious illnesses, as recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Christian et al., 2017). This illness was discovered in 1976 when the first outbreaks of EVD emerged in African countries. The symptomatology of the disease is characterized by high body temperature, diarrhea, significant loss of fluid, and vomiting. The largest global outbreak of the disease occurred in 2013 and started in a Guinean village where a two-year-old child got ill and died (Varkey & Ribner, 2016). The disease rapidly spread among relatives and healthcare workers who interacted with the infected individuals and caused multiple deaths in West Africa, the United Kingdom, and Italy (Christian et al., 2017). This case has provided a basis for the global community of health care professionals and organizations to research the factors accompany EVD and the possible ways of treatment and prevention.
As it is seen from the sources of EVD outbreaks, the populations that are most impacted by the disease are of lower socioeconomic status. The inhabitants of rural villages of West African countries, such as Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Congo, Uganda, Gabon, and others, were vastly impacted by the virus and were identified as the initial points of outbreaks (Varkey & Ribner, 2016). However, people who traveled to these countries and returned to the USA or Europe were also infected. This data implies that any individual of any population that establishes contact with those infected by the virus might be affected. People of various ages might suffer from serious symptoms of EVD.
The illness is severe because it impacts the human immune system, spreads quickly, and causes multiple fatal cases. Although the information available to the healthcare workers and scientists about the Ebola virus is not sufficient, it has been possible to develop a system of preventative and treatment measures to address the issue of EVD on a global scale. The experience of treatment of patients who were hospitalized in Europe and the USA was much more successful than in West Africa. Eighty percent of all patients treated outside of West Africa survived (Trad et al., 2017). These facts show that the level of therapeutic and clinical preparedness of underdeveloped countries must be improved. Therefore, professional training and evidence-based practice should be fostered and vastly implemented in the countries that are most significantly exposed to the outbreak of the virus.
Overall, globalization trends impose more frequent travels that endanger the global population in terms of infectious diseases. Apart from hospital preparedness, such measures as vaccination, infection control, and the improvement of patient care are implemented globally to enhance the prevention of EVD and ensure timely detection of separate cases of the illness (Varkey & Ribner, 2016). Nonetheless, more research and better safety measures are needed to be developed to recognize the inception of EVD better.
As for the population to which I belong, the issue of EVD is researched and prevented by vaccination and a high level of safety and care of patients. Such measures allow for early recognition of any infectious disease. Also, informational strategies that provide public education on the topic of EVD and the sources of its threat help raise awareness of the problem. Lastly, healthcare professionals are always at a higher risk to be affected by a health problem than other people due to direct contact with infected people. Therefore, my professional field might be more impacted by the virus. However, practical clinical training is initiated across the country to address this threat.
Conclusion
In summation, global health is the issue of concern of all nations in the contemporary world of multinational and migrating societies. The problems of infectious disease which tend to be transmitted from an infected person to anyone contacting him or her are of great concern. EVD is one of the most dangerous illnesses since its outbreaks are unpredictable, and the symptoms damage the immune system and, in most cases, cause high mortality. The world healthcare community works to ensure global health safety by initiating vaccination, training of hospital staff, and improving patient care.
References
Christian, K. A., Iuliano, A. D., Uyeki, T. M., Mintz, E. D., Nichol, S. T., Rollin, P., … Arthur, R. R. (2017). What we are watching—Top global infectious disease threats, 2013-2016: An update from CDC’s Global Disease Detection Operations Center. Health Security, 15(5), 453-462.
Trad, M. A., Naughton, W., Yeung, A., Mazlin, L., O’Sullivan, M., Gilroy, N.,… & Stuart, R. L. (2017). Ebola virus disease: An update on current prevention and management strategies. Journal of Clinical Virology, 86, 5-13.
Varkey, J. B., & Ribner, B. S. (2016). Preparing for serious communicable diseases in the United States: What the Ebola virus epidemic has taught us. Microbiology Spectrum, 4(3), 1-18.