Ebola’s Newest Casualty: Health Care

Baz Ratner/Reuters

thedailybeast.com - by Sheldon Yett - April 3, 2015

The worst of the Ebola epidemic may be over in Liberia, but the damage it inflicted on an already weak health care system could have catastrophic consequences.

Here in Liberia, the goal of zero Ebola cases is tantalizingly close. Only one new case has been recorded since 19 February, and 13 of the country’s 15 counties have not reported any new cases for over 42 days. But Ebola’s impact will be felt long after the last case has been treated.      

As the battle against Ebola continues, the threat of outbreaks of measles, whooping cough and other vaccine-preventable diseases remains high. Given the mobility of Liberia’s population, the danger is that these diseases could spread with the same devastating rapidity that Ebola did.

Malnutrition rates have also increased, and a large proportion of the population is still not using health facilities for fear of contracting Ebola.

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