Disease Outbreaks in Africa and the Response of African Governments

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa is prone to outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, especially those transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans. Some of these diseases include: Ebola, Rift Valley Fever, and plague. In recent years, a number of sub-Saharan African countries have experienced outbreaks of either Ebola or Lassa fever, which tend to spread across national borders. Yet, the reaction of governments in many of the affected African countries has often been characterized by an inability to promptly, effectively, and efficiently address these outbreaks. In this chapter we discuss the role of African governments in the fight against emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.