There is no cure and no vaccine for the rare Bundibugyo variant of Ebola, which has caused two outbreaks in recent decades. Health leaders and scientists are now racing to understand where the virus is spreading and attempting to stop it – but the US is notably absent in these efforts.
In the past year, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has been dismantled, thousands of staff at US health agencies were laid off, communications stalled and key scientific research canceled.
There are 482 suspected cases and about 116 deaths reported since April in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with two cases and one death in Uganda and potential spread to neighboring South Sudan. The outbreak “might have been going on for a few months”, said Kristian Andersen, a professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research.
If the world ends it will be with a bang, but the bang will certainly only be the final confirmation of something that had started without anyone seeming to notice.
As shit as the US is being about this … why is it the US’s sole responsibility to stop international disease outbreaks? What’s the rest of the world doing about this?
I’m pretty sure USAID was responsible for Ebola outbreaks in this part of the world but Doge cuts took all their aid away. I’d have to look it up though. So yes, it kinda was the responsibility of the US.
Edit: Looked it up and a lot of sites are “reporting” the USAID cuts is probably the biggest factor in why there were delays in detecting this Ebola outbreak.
How long until the tankies call it “US imperialism” and say that the cuts to USAID were actually “good”?
They’re not, and that shouldn’t be the conclusion people draw from this. What they’re saying is that there are resources (human and supplies) already in position which could prevent a bigger problem if they are utilized, and will likely go to waste. Similar to all those vaccines that were already paid for and then spoiled over time. It’s also talking about why this outbreak is going to be more painful than future ones (once alternative systems have been set up).
As for why we are in this situation in the first place:
It’s not enough for the bureaucrats or elected officials to want something, the people need to understand the risk as well. Now that the world sees what can happen, they will be a lot more careful entering agreements with the US or shutting down domestic capabilities in the future.
Public health can’t be replaced quickly, since it’s not just about spending money now. It takes time to set up new logistics, supply chains, education and training programs, diplomatic relationships, emergency supplies etc.
All that being said
Here is the recent news:
https://www.afro.who.int/countries/democratic-republic-of-congo/news/who-ramps-support-democratic-republic-congos-ebola-outbreak-response
It’s not. However, by having lots of money (apparently) and therefore attracting many of the world’s best, it is the US’s responsibility to assist the world just as every other country does. Not only for protecting their own nation against the spread of worldwide dangers, but minimising the impact before it starts global strain.
But honestly, like everything, the US is no big loss. It’s always the other nations that solve these things anyway and all the best doctors are leaving to other nations—those shutdown in the programs obviously would’ve earlier. If things stay business as usual, the recipe will get published, and the US pharmaceuticals industry will pump out the final products for everyone because that’s the part of the process where the money is.
Noblesse oblige of being world hegemon.
Y’all can stop caring about international disease outbreaks, but then there’s no reason to send tribute (rare earths, oil, etc.) to the US instead of China1.
US-sponsored puppet governments will become unpopular and get replaced by China-sponsored puppet governments1 that promise to be more reliable in providing medical care.
And so, in the long term, the US will have to cut its consumption of goods by at least half, down to at least European levels. Which, given how much of the US is overbuilt and built to decay quickly so people keep buying stuff, will mean a Western Roman Empire-like collapse of US infrastructure.
1: There’s the chance of political independence and no tribute at all, but (neo)colonial infrastructure was built for (neo)colonialism - to bring raw resources to ports and consumer goods from ports - so materially it’s very easy for another overlord to come in and demand the same deal as before.