Ebola can be contained if world responds now: Canadian doctor

Above: Canadian doctor with Doctors Without Borders says Ebola pandemic can be contained if the world responds now

OTTAWA — The unprecedented Ebola outbreak is manageable and can be contained, one Canadian doctor said — even though the disease has been described as the greatest challenge currently facing the United Nations.

Taking a step back, Dr. Tim Jagatic said the biggest threat of the disease comes from the fact it is surrounded by so much panic and trepidation.

“There is a lot of fear in this. Fear of the unknown, fear that’s associated with the sensationalism that’s been associated with the disease so far … And that means people aren’t bringing the sick to treatment centres,” Jagatic, who has firsthand experience battling Ebola on the ground, said in an interview on The West Block with Tom Clark.

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That fear, and the actions it spurs, means patients are living in their homes with the disease, allowing the infection to spread further into communities and ultimately making it more difficult to contain, said Jagatic, who works with Doctors Without Borders.

In an attempt to battle the fear, the doctor said medical groups have initiated education and outreach campaigns.

When someone infected with Ebola receives no medical attention the mortality rate is 90 per cent, Jagatic said.

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“Right now, we’re doing the bare minimum which means fluids, Tylenol and feeding. And we’ve been able to bring the mortality rate down to 50 per cent,” he said. “We’re really trying to get that message out that this really is manageable. We can contain and beat this. But we really need more help on the ground.”

What he’s asking for is “more of the same:” more treatment centres, more people helping with the outreach and education campaigns.

“It’s very important we get more people doing the same things that we’re already doing because right now we’re really overwhelmed. We have treatment facilities, but all these facilities are full. We have to be turning away people,” Jagatic said.

The UN Security Council has passed a resolution labelling Ebola a threat to global peace, and calling on nations to do more to help out.

WATCH: Canada working to coordinate more medical boots on the ground to fight the Ebola outbreak, says Health Minister Rona Ambrose.

For its part, Canada has pledged $5.3 million in financial aid and a mobile lab in Sierra Leone, and has offered personal protective equipment and use of an experimental vaccine.

While Canada is providing support to Doctors Without Borders, the government needs to find a way to allow people who want to go help fight the outbreak in West Africa get there, said Health Minister Rona Ambrose.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is currently, she said, talking to the provinces and territories as well as with Doctors Without Borders, to see “what else we can do” to coordinate getting more doctors over to the infected area.

“We’re providing that necessary technical expertise that is just not available in the health-care systems of these countries,” she said in an interview on The West Block with Tom Clark. “But you’re right. Boots on the ground matters and I know there are doctors that are interested in going and we’re trying to help coordinate that with the provinces and territories and other organizations.”