Many of you know that one of my anthropological interests is infectious disease. Ive been watching the developments in the Ebola outbreak, and one of the things that frustrates me the most is how completely and utterly predictable it is. Here are some of the things that we know, yet ignore: 1--When you destroy the environment through things like deforestation and dam-building, you bring people into more frequent contact with animals and insects that carry dangerous diseases. 2--When there is an outbreak in another country, it is the right thing to do to offer them all of the support we can muster, but its also in our selfish, best interests to contain an outbreak as close to the source as possible. 3--We have the best infection-containment protocols in the world, but they are useless if medical personnel are not trained, and do not have the equipment. 4--When we base medical care on how much money people have, we created ripe conditions for infectious disease to spread. 5--When we have politicians who are not only ignorant of science, but who actively block the teaching of science, we cannot as a society deal with dangerous outbreaks. 6--Science is important, but the social sciences have much to contribute to epidemiology, as they show us how cultural customs and practices, such as funeral rites, contribute to the spread of infectious disease, and how we can help people to find alternatives that are meaningful. 7--Those budget cuts to the CDC and NIH arent looking so good right now. 8--Allowing (or forcing) people to live in the most abject poverty, without adequate access to food, water, and medical care, creates optimal conditions for outbreaks. Education and adequate funding, good science and adequate numbers of personnel, are investments in our health and well being.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 11:58:06 +0000
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