Health worker claims world 'turned a blind eye' on Ebola
September 27, 2014 - 12:15AM
Daisy Dumas
The Age
West Africa's Ebola virus outbreak was "preventable" and is on the hands of "complacent" institutions that failed to heed stark early warnings, says an Australian aid worker who has returned from Monrovia.
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"We led the response and we were very clear in calling for support. We knew that it was a humanitarian emergency, that it was going to be a catastrophe," Mr Adamson said.
"Now, we're in this position of saying, 'What do we do?' It's a direct result of inaction. We asked for the capabilities of the biggest institutions in the world."
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MSF Australia executive director Paul McPhun and Mr Adamson this week met with government figures, including shadow health minister Catherine King, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade assistant secretary Bill Costello and Greens senators Lee Rhiannon and Richard Di Natale, calling for assistance "in any way possible". Their concerns have been echoed by the Public Health Association of Australia, the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association and the Australian Medical Association.
"It's inconceivable that you can be complacent. We have seen incredible complacency and bureaucratic delays in responding to something you have to respond to right now. The world turned a blind eye; I am dismayed," Mr Adamson said.
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http://www.smh.com.au/national/heal...e-on-ebola-20140926-10mjq3.html#ixzz3EScKsjJV
September 27, 2014 - 12:15AM
Daisy Dumas
The Age
West Africa's Ebola virus outbreak was "preventable" and is on the hands of "complacent" institutions that failed to heed stark early warnings, says an Australian aid worker who has returned from Monrovia.
...
"We led the response and we were very clear in calling for support. We knew that it was a humanitarian emergency, that it was going to be a catastrophe," Mr Adamson said.
"Now, we're in this position of saying, 'What do we do?' It's a direct result of inaction. We asked for the capabilities of the biggest institutions in the world."
...
MSF Australia executive director Paul McPhun and Mr Adamson this week met with government figures, including shadow health minister Catherine King, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade assistant secretary Bill Costello and Greens senators Lee Rhiannon and Richard Di Natale, calling for assistance "in any way possible". Their concerns have been echoed by the Public Health Association of Australia, the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association and the Australian Medical Association.
"It's inconceivable that you can be complacent. We have seen incredible complacency and bureaucratic delays in responding to something you have to respond to right now. The world turned a blind eye; I am dismayed," Mr Adamson said.
...
http://www.smh.com.au/national/heal...e-on-ebola-20140926-10mjq3.html#ixzz3EScKsjJV
