So the Trump administration is trying to set up an Ebola treatment facility in Africa,and honestly,the whole plan sounds a bit complicated but also makes some sense.
The basic idea is to have one quarantine and treatment facility near the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo . This way any Americans who get exposed can be treated quickly,without the risk of flying them all the way back to the US .
And Dr. Mehmet Oz,who is Administrator for Medicare and Medicaid Services,gave a pretty direct reason for this . He said,"The main issue with having a facility close to Democratic Republic of Congo is if a patient is sick again, speak as a heart doctor,I want to take the patient to O.R. that's right next door to room they're sick in."
And tbh,this is where he has point. He also said that sending patients across the globe without knowing what's wrong is not a good idea . Moving very sick people long distance is always a huge risk ah.
But the whole thing depends on Kenya agreeing to host this facility . There are concerns what happens if they say no. Dr . Oz seems pretty confident though,and he said "We believe that the State Department is working diligently to find a resolution with Kenya." He even called it a "beautiful country with very sophisticated people," which sounds like some serious diplomacy is happening.
Few things standing out clearly in this plan:
- Contingency plans are there,so if Kenya refuses,they will look for other countries to help.
- Enhanced screening is also happening,with extra tools at major US airports for checking travelers.
- US government is also giving money to support Ebola treatment efforts in the regions that are affected.
This is not just one person's idea,it seems like a big government effort . Dr. Oz mentioned that Dr. Jay Bhattacharya,the Director of National Institutes of Health,is leading the federal preparedness stuff . And he added,"He’s got a lot of help from Doctor Heidi Overton and many others at the White House,so it’s a well-structured game plan".
With big international sporting events coming to the US,you can see why they're getting so serious about this now . Lots of people will be travelling.
Someone asked if this plan would stop American healthcare workers from volunteering to go to these places . Dr . Oz said he doesn't think so. He just repeated his faith in Kenya talks,saying,"I think we're going to work out a very favorable arrangement with Secretary Rubio's leadership."
But Ebola is no small thing,with fatality rates between 25% and 90% in past . So fast isolation and treatment is everything. It all sounds good on paper,but everything still seems to be hanging on these diplomatic talks… what happens if they just fall through…
