Ebola Virus

One of the more interesting articles I have read was one by a UN health worker about the outbreak of the Ebola Virus in Eastern Africa. I found this article especially useful because it talked about both the health issues and the politics of Uganda. It is interesting and sad how people reacted to this epidemic: "scared neighbors, sometimes even family members, refuse to let convalescent patients back into their homes, sometimes burning their belongings or their entire hut. Deep-rooted African customs regarding burial of the dead are disrupted." Also, many villagers don't understand why and how these diseases are spread and many times they turn to religion and superstition to try and cure their infected. Bausch also touches on the political issues that are just as infectious as the virus. Bausch writes "I remember seeing a luxurious three-storey house being built in a small town, an almost space-age structure intercalated among traditional mud huts. "That's the district officer's house", my companions explained. "He was appointed last month." A glaring example perhaps, but not uncommon." Not only do many of these politicians not help their citizens, but the money they used to build their luxurious houses come from money taken from donations that should have gone to hospitals. Bausch also remarks that many times viruses like Ebola is spread through violence. He found that many times that troops of child soldiers spread viruses most often because they are living in unsanitary, close quarters. In all, I found this article very helpful.