[ 2014-09-28 ]

AASU On The Menace Of The Ebola Virus
The deadly Ebola disease has killed, so far, over
three thousand (3000) people and more than six
thousand five (6500) others are infected according
to World Health Organization (WHO). Estimates
suggest that as many as 1.4 Million people may be
infected by the end of January under
worst-case-scenario circumstances.

The rapid mode of transmission of the Ebola virus,
the lack of vaccine to cure it and the
multiplication of its centers in the West African
sub-region is alarming and a threat for the whole
world. Aware of the danger of the disease, the
United General Assembly has taken concrete action
in order to curb this situation by establishing
the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response
(UNMEER) that is currently deploying in Accra,
Ghana as well as in the three most impact
countries.

The unfortunate laid-back attitude of African
leaders to such a dangerous disease menacing the
future of human beings is frightening. Indeed at
national, sub-regional and continental levels the
response has been so soft as if we are dealing
with a benign tumour. Without the concern and
mobilization of the International Community we may
be witnessing the wiping out of Africans and
others by this disease.

Our attitude, as Africans, of waiting others to
come to our aid always is mind-baffling. We behave
like we are unable to think and act in the face of
problems affecting us. But Africa is abounded in
human and natural resources sufficiently enough to
enable us to form multi-stakeholder partnerships
and alliances in order to combat effectively and
eradicate the Ebola virus in the West African
sub-region.

The time is now for African leaders to reaffirm
their commitments to, effectively, pool together
their resources, experiences and expertise in
order to implement better coordinated and more
effective action against this disease.

African governments must learn, in the interests
of their people, to collaborate more effectively
among themselves on one hand and with their
citizenry on the other to overcome such
unfortunate occurrence. AASU invites the African
Union (AU) and ECOWAS to, effectively, play their
role of interface between the various spheres of
their member States, civil society to create the
necessary forums promoting partnerships at all
levels in the fight against this life threatening
Ebola disease.

In this endeavour the All Africa Students Union
(AASU) commits itself to be part of any initiative
by the AU and ECOWAS geared towards involving all
the forces to fight this disease through its
respective means of action by:

-Helping to keep citizens better informed and to
promote greater public awareness;

-Providing feedback on the programmes and
activities implemented and acting as a bridge,
wherever possible, between citizens and the
authorities etc.

AWAAH FRED
(Secretary General)
secgen@aasuonline.org/ akaphari@yahoo.com/ mobile:
00233 (0)243101626

Source - All Africa Students Union

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