Obama to U.N.: "We are not moving fast enough" to curb Ebola virus
Calling the current Ebola epidemic as important a national security issue for the United States "as anything else that's out there," President Obama on Thursday gave an impassioned plea for other United Nations members to step up their efforts to curb the spread of the virus.
"We don't have the capacity to do all of this by ourselves," Mr. Obama told the government officials at the high-level U.N. meeting in New York. He urged those with direct access to their respective heads of state "to make sure they are making this a top priority."
The virus is spreading at "alarming speed" through Africa, Mr. Obama noted. Thousands have died from the horrific disease, thousands more are infected, and if left unchecked, it could kill hundreds of thousands -- or even millions -- more.
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"I want us to be clear, we are not moving fast enough. We are not doing enough," Mr. Obama said. "Right now everybody has the best of intentions, but people are not putting in the kinds of resources that are necessary to put a stop to this epidemic."
One health worker, Mr. Obama said, compared the current efforts to contain the outbreak to "fighting a forest fire with spray bottles."
Mr. Obama noted that the epidemic is more than just a health crisis, but also a "growing threat to regional and global security." Public health systems in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone are near collapse, and economic growth is slowing dramatically, he noted.
"If this epidemic is not stopped, this disease could cause a humanitarian catastrophe across the region," he said. "In an era when regional crises can quickly become global threats, stopping Ebola is in the interests of the entire world."
Aid workers on the front lines of the disease have said they need more beds, more supplies and more health workers, as soon as possible, Mr. Obama said.
The U.S. is leading the efforts to respond with both civilian aid and a military command in Liberia that's supporting civilian efforts. Teams at that command center are already working to move in personnel, equipment and supplies. The U.S. is also working with Senegal to stand up an air bridge to get health workers and medical supplies into West Africa faster.
Additionally, the U.S. is setting up a field hospital that will be staffed by personnel from the U.S. Public Health Service and a training facility that will train thousands of health workers from around the world.
On Thursday, Mr. Obama will host 44 nations in Washington, D.C. to advance a global healht security agenda.
