Ebola Vaccine Not Developed as Only 'Poor' Nations are Affected, Blames WHO

The World Health Organization criticized big pharmaceutical companies for their inaction, blaming that no Ebola vaccine has been developed even after 40 years of virus emergence. This, blamed WHO, was because it previously affected only the poor African nations.

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Dr Margaret Chan, the director-general of the WHO, said that the reason clinicians were "empty-handed" was because "a profit-driven industry does not invest in products for markets that cannot pay," reported The Independent.

She added that the WHO has long complained about lack of investment in both vaccine development and healthcare systems in financially weak states but it had "fallen on deaf ears." The Ebola epidemic has put those arguments along with consequences out there for everyone to see on prime time news every day, she said.

The outbreak has claimed almost 5,000 lives in West Africa and there are signs that the spread of the disease is still increasing in Sierra Leone, one of the three worst-hit nations.

Ebola Virus Disease | Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever: Cause Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment
Ebola is caused by a virus via direct contact with body fluids or infected blood. Scientists have identified five types of Ebola or Ebola hemorrhagic fever virus.

The Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976 and there have been more than 20 Ebola outbreaks since then. However, they have been on a smaller scale in comparison to the current epidemic.

Source-ANI

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