*Gambia, Ebola and the Blessings of Geography*


 Although the deadly Ebola virus is spreading far and wide, a closer look
at the outbreak in our corner of the world is showing a slightly different
picture. The epidemic has so far claimed at least 4,877 lives, according to
the World Health Organization (WHO) and these are largely in West Africa.
However, the epidemic has so far been confined to mainly, three countries:
Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. You can’t help but wonder, not for being
an advocate of doom, why other countries like Senegal, Gambia,
Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire have so far managed to avoid the
virus? Note that some of these countries share borders with badly afflicted
countries like Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.


 With the regular movement of people across these otherwise very porous
borders, one is inclined to conclude that it’s the sheer luck of the draw
that these countries haven’t had any cases reported so far. The threat
posed by open borders has left the affected countries with no choice other
than sealing themselves off albeit gradually, to prevent the Ebola virus
from being passed on. This has resulted in severe economic consequences,
however. In Gambia, the current tourist season is billed to be the worst in
many years as some of the tour operators have cancelled visits that
normally bring in a large number of tourists from Europe.


When the outbreak was announced in Guinea, the shrewd and forward thinking
authorities in Senegal moved in time to shield off their border following
the announcement of the first few cases in Guinea in March. One can safely
say this and other actions taken at the main port of entry - banning
flights to and from affected countries - is what shielded Gambia from the
spread of the Ebola virus, given the geography of Senegambia.


With the longstanding vulnerability of Gambia’s borders with Senegal, which
surrounds Gambia on all sides except the Atlantic Ocean, it is obvious any
outbreak of the Ebola virus in Senegal could easily be spilled into Gambia
at a very fast pace. Therefore, Gambia’s geography is a larger blessing
that helped stop the spread of Ebola to its shores.


Experts at the WHO and other international organizations said that while
border controls may have had “a small effect” on the situation in West
Africa, a key difference “was that other countries had been forewarned,”
which allowed them to “set up systems to prevent further infections.” The
difference made by the rapid response can be seen in Senegal’s success with
its one Ebola case. Even with its border closed, Senegal reported its first
case on August 29, after a Guinean university student traveled by road to
Dakar. He was treated and recovered, while all his possible contacts were
singularly traced and monitored. On October 17, WHO declared the outbreak
in Senegal officially over. The strong and sophisticated healthcare system
in Senegal and the steadfastness of their authorities in tracking down
exposed people helped stem the incident. WHO said the “most important
lesson for the world at large is this: an immediate, broad-based, and
well-coordinated response can stop the Ebola virus dead in its tracks.”
Senegal has proven the two key elements in containing the spread are
community mobilization and the preparedness of the public health system. It
is thus clear that Gambia’s geography is largely responsible in helping
shield it from the spread of the virus by virtue of Senegal’s effort in so
far, stemming the spread.


Obviously, the most effective and proven way to contain the spread of Ebola
is nothing beyond the proper tracking of the epidemic and those infected,
containment within communities and caring for those infected. Senegal is
doing all this for Gambia indirectly, by virtue of its geography. Many
experts have agreed that border closings alone will not contain the spread
of the virus. Although Ebola has not spread quickly beyond Guinea, Liberia
and Sierra Leone, it’s clear that neighboring countries in West Africa need
to remain vigilant. The worst is yet to come, according to WHO, but for now
Gambia can count her blessings on her geography and the vigilance of her
neighbor, the Senegalese authorities.


-- 
-Laye
==============================
"With fair speech thou might have thy will,
With it thou might thy self spoil."
--The R.M


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