Lessons from the West African Ebola epidemic: Towards a legacy of strong health systems

The West African Ebola epidemic is an international public health crisis, representing a threat to international peace and security. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on September 18th, “The gravity and scale of the situation now requires a level of international action unprecedented for an emergency.” As the international community begins to accelerate its response commensurate with the magnitude of the immense human suffering, additional actions – in both the immediate and longer term – are necessary. In the immediate term, the UN should exercise decisive leadership, and move the international response from a “catch-up” exercise to a well-planned, properly resourced, and diligently executed strategy.