Blog #10: As Ebola Cases Dwindle, West Africa Turns To Economic Recovery

Blog #10: As Ebola Cases Dwindle, West Africa Turns to Economic Recovery

            The West African countries devastated by the Ebola epidemic are going to receive a huge amount of money to help assist with their recovery process.  The money will be in the form of grants given to Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea.  The World Bank plans to provide West Africa with 650 million and the African Development Bank will provide 300 million in recovery assistance.  This assistance will also help to improve the countries’ economy after taking a slight plunge during the Ebola outbreak.  "All three face serious vulnerabilities, including decimated government budgets and the need to rebuild employment, education, infrastructure and routine health care," the Washington Post stated.   The aid will help improve West Africa’s infrastructure and health systems as well, which were also weakened and negatively impacted by the epidemic.  They lost a lot of health and medical care workers to Ebola.  They are in need of new workers as well as more hospitals and treatment centers the financial aid package will allow them to improve their system.  This will also help them become more prepared and quicker in response to future outbreaks and epidemics.  In the past, the response was slow and health resources were limited.

            Providing financial aid to the West African countries that were devastated by Ebola is exactly what they need.  After thousands were killed by the Ebola outbreak, both the economic and emotional loss was devastating.  Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia took a severe blow.  The grants will help these countries with the recovery process as well as build already weakened systems and infrastructure stronger.  This will build a better future for West African countries.  They will be more prepared for future outbreaks and improved health care systems with optimal care, in which will save many lives.   

http://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsoda/2015/04/17/400387093/as-ebola-cases-dwindle-west-africa-turns-to-economic-recovery

Brandon Smith

April 21, 2015

10:29AM