W.H.O. Memo: We Failed Ebola Containment

The threat of Ebola spreading into other countries has grabbed the attention of top leaders all over the world. The United Nations Security Council spent a large portion of their time, working on a plan to fight Ebola. And the World Health Organization has been at the center of all of it.

Now, a new leak out of the WHO insinuates that the group repeatedly botched their attempts to contain the Ebola outbreak, they acknowledge their own failures internally, and they went to great lengths to preserve their own image in the whole process. That new report leaked to the Associated Press is drawing some unwanted, negative attention to the WHO while they battle to contain Ebola on the front lines in West Africa. Part of the leaked memo said, “nearly everyone involved in the outbreak response failed to see fairly plain writing on the wall, a perfect storm was brewing ready to burst open in full force.”

How would the WHO respond? Well, they aren’t responding at all. Their answer to this allegation is to stay silent, likely hoping the story will go away. In a curt response, the agency did say they are performing their own internal review of the situation. But it raises several other questions about how we all should respond in times of crisis.

Whenever a worldwide crisis happens, there will probably be mistakes. Leaders will be exposed for poor planning and preparation. Often, politicians will exploit those tragedies to advance their own agendas. So when is the right time for criticism? Many believe the World Health Organization owes the public answers right now. But WHO supporters say now is not the time. In times of triage, the first priority is to save the patient, and then to document and analyze after the fact.

The WHO said as much in their statement. They said a review will come, but only after this outbreak is over.