With 8,235 deaths and more than 20,000 cases according to January statistics published by the World Health Organization, the Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa has become one of the biggest health crises the world has ever faced.
Amid persistent logistical and communication challenges, the epidemic seems to be finally getting the attention it deserves. Humanitarian relief groups from all four corners of the world are coming together, supply chains for Ebola-related supplies are taking shape, crucial lessons learned about social mobilization are being applied, and innovative initiatives are burgeoning.
Memories of the international community’s sluggish reaction nevertheless remain. In particular, WHO is at the center of a virulent blame game in which critics argue it failed to lead the global fight against Ebola — precisely the kind of crisis it set out to handle when it was established in 1948.