Opinion: The real public health emergency of international concern: the DRC
To stop the Ebola outbreak in the DRC from spiraling out of control, it must be seen as a symptom of a deeper public health crisis in the country.
The decision to declare the yearlong Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) will almost certainly help focus the world’s attention on this deepening crisis. But while it is already bringing much-needed donor funds and international assistance, the danger is that this decision could have unintended repercussions that further hinder the emergency response on the ground.
If this gamble is to be successful, then the response will need to go beyond the immediate Ebola crisis and address much deeper long-term issues that have plagued the region — issues that ultimately
