Rebuilding transformation strategies in post-Ebola epidemics in Africa

Abstract

Rebuilding transformation strategies in post-Ebola epidemics in West Africa requires long-term surveillance and strengthening health system preparedness to disease outbreak. This paper assesses reconstruction efforts from socio-cultural, economic and ecological transformation response approaches and strategies in improving sustainable survivors and affected communities livelihood and wellbeing. A comprehensive approach is required in the recovery and rebuilding processes. Investing in rebuilding transformation requires fostering evidence-based and effective engaging new investors partnership strengthening, financing community-based programmes ownership, novel socio-economic innovations strategies and tools against the evolving and future Ebola epidemics. Thus, there should be improved community partnership, health and economic rebuilding programmes to address mistrust and care underutilization, poverty and care access inequity at all levels. Implementing effective post-Ebola national ‘One Health’ approach coupled with climate change mitigation and adaptations strategies is urgent public health needs aiming at improving the quality healthcare access, delivery trust and uptake in anticipation of EVD immunization program, productivity and emerging economy.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40249-017-0278-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Digital Technology and Mobile Applications Impact on Zika and Ebola Epidemics Data Sharing and Emergency Response

“…Building local early social media, digital maps, and network diagrams are key technologies that have been used to achieve early warning during the Ebola epidemic mapping works to impede public health emergencies and allows individuals to prepare for an outbreak [8,26,27,46,47]. Ethics and security in ICT access and use during and post-epidemic public health emergency surveillance and monitoring of formal and informal sources of social media channels such as blog posts and tweets need to be strengthened in most epidemics prone countries [28,35,36].…”

“…Furthermore, social media was used to educate and inform the public regarding the Ebola 2014 outbreak. Trending hash tags were also popular in parts of Africa during July 2014 to protect and prevent oneself from getting infected [46,48]. Similarly, during Zika outbreak, the Centre for Disease and Control (CDC) and WHO-PAHO used social media websites such as Twitter and Flickr to educate healthcare workers on how to protect themselves and how to isolate suspected Ebola or Zika patients' referral systems.…”

“…Establishment of continuous of local surveillance program is needed to expand and to provide access and uptake to counselling and psychosocial support to Ebola and ZIKV complications survivors and family, in boosting sexual and reproductive health, increase abstinence and condom use in recovery process. For example in Liberia, men's health screening program represents an important progress toward addressing the challenges in an integrated fashion and opportunity for strengthening health systems that must sufficiently plan rebuilding post-Ebola programs [46,51].…”

“…As discussed in previous categories, SMS is used to send public health messages to individuals in West Africa. Hotlines can be called for information where an operator or IVSS answers the call [29,41,46]. Furthermore, social media use as a back-and-forth communication channel has been particularly strong for the Ebola outbreak.…”

“…These various internet and social media methods and applications have been used to train health workers and volunteers to effectively deal with the Zika and Ebola outbreak. SMS-, mobilebased applications, webinars, and online tutorials are used to facilitate patient-providers access, eLearning courses and literacy training, timely information in improving security and performance-oriented multilayers response [46,[49][50][51][52].…”