World Health Organization
Ebola
People’s Republic of China
Mia Tepic
Forest Hills Eastern High School
Ebola is a virus which can cause sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, and death. This disease infects humans through close contact with infected animals: chimpanzees, duikers, fruit bats, etc. Generally, outbreaks of the disease occur in remote villages in Central and West Africa near rainforests. In 2018, the Democratic Republic of Congo experienced an outbreak with more than 57 reported cases – surpassing the 53 cases in a prior outbreak. In order to prevent future outbreaks, the United Nations crafted the Ebola Response: a highly complex, five point strategy focusing on stopping the outbreak, treating the infected, ensuring essential services, preserving stability, and preventing future outbreaks. In July 2015, the Secretary-General also held an International Ebola Recovery Conference to help the affected countries and communities amass support for the implementation of these plans. At the conference, 3.4 billion dollars of new funds were announced – making the total funding for recovery 5.2 billion dollars.
The People’s Republic of China has significantly contributed to Africa’s fight against Ebola Outbreaks as well as the development of the Africa Center for Disease Prevention and Control. Numerous Chinese epidemiologists were deployed to neighbouring countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda to prevent more outbreaks from occurring. Gao Fu, head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in July disclosed 2019 that three Chinese experts researched with South Sudanese health professionals to prevent the disease from spreading to Africa’s newest country: South Sudan. This is not the first time that the People’s Republic of China has assisted Africa in its fight against the disease. Last year, the People’s Republic of China donated 117 million dollars in assistance to those countries, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 2014 and 2016, more than 1,000 experts were also sent to fight the largest outbreak of Ebola. The People’s Republic of China deeply fears Ebola from spreading into its country through travel; therefore, The People’s Republic of China’s biggest contribution towards the fight of the disease is its help towards the construction of the center for disease control and prevention in Africa. Prevention begins where the outbreaks begin: Africa. Leaders of the People’s Republic of China traveled to Africa in order to manage the funding and discuss the building in 2018. Additionally, the People’s Republic of China sent Chinese health care workers to train health experts on how to combat Ebola and other diseases. the People’s Republic of China also agreed to help construct a center to prevent, control, and research tropical diseases in Sierra Leone.
First, the People’s Republic of China proposes the United Nations improve upon the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African nations crumbling health sector. Workers at these health sectors should receive training on how to combat the disease and receive funding to vaccinate its citizens, no matter their status or wealth. Second, the People’s Republic of China believes the United Nations needs to peacekeepers in order to cease the fighting and arguing in the affected areas. Countries in Africa are flooded with issues of governance and rebel activities in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces, which have only fueled the spread of the disease. Another key-contributing agent to the spread of the disease is the porous African border that needs to be tightened to prevent the virus from spreading from DR Congo’s North Kivu and Ituri provinces to Rwanda, Uganda, and South Sudan. To prevent this, the People’s Republic of China requests the United Nations work with government leaders of the affected countries to ameliorate their policies for leaving a country. Many Chinese travelers journey to Africa, and it is pivotal that this issue be solved in order to prevent Ebola from infecting citizens in the People’s Republic of China and other countries as well.
- Mia Tepic
