WHO's Response to the Ebola Outbreak: A Comprehensive Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the World Health Organization's (WHO) response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. It applies the ASK SIR L model to assess the problem-solving process, identifies the underlying issues and causes faced by the WHO, and evaluates the generation and selection of solutions. The report also examines the effective implementation of chosen solutions, including relevant change management and organizational transformation theories, and assesses the extent to which the Ebola problem was solved. It covers issues like weak healthcare systems, damaged infrastructure, population mobility, shortage of healthcare workers, cultural beliefs, and community resistance. The report also explores the generation and selection of solutions, including the role of the European Union and the importance of learning from the outbreak to avoid future surprises. The report concludes with a reflective analysis of the WHO's handling of the outbreak and its implications for future responses to public health crises.

WHO's handling of Ebola
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................4
1. Application of ASK SIR L model so as to assess the cover the whole problem solving process4
2. How well were the underlying issues and causes identified by the organization?......................5
3. Generation and selection of solutions carried out by WHO to tackle Ebola effectively ............7
4. Effective implementation of chosen solutions including relevant change management and
organizational transformation theory.............................................................................................10
5. Extent at which EBOLA problem solved as per the proposed solutions...................................15
6. Reflective from patch 1 to 5 .....................................................................................................15
CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................................17
References..........................................................................................................................................18
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Illustration Index
Illustration 1 Kotter 8 step process....................................................................................................11
Illustration 2 Kurt Lewin change model............................................................................................13
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INTRODUCTION
Ebola is a virus disease which is transmitting to people from wild animals and then spread in
human population via different sources. When Ebola outbreak in West Africa before two years ago,
WHO and other health care organizations have come together to reduce the impact of this on human
being (Boyles, 2015). The major reason of spreading this disease in different countries are very
weak health systems, lack of human resources, damaged infrastructural, lack of health care facilities
etc. The following research has related to the role of WHO in tackling Ebola diseases (Wong and
Uyeki, 2015). During the phase of spreading of this infection in West Africa local community,
WHO has faced different kinds of issues. The aspects that will cover under the present study will be
application of ASK SIR L model on Ebola disease and issues identified by WHO at the time of
outbreak of infection.
1. Application of ASK SIR L model so as to assess the cover the whole problem solving process
There can be an application of ASK SIR L model so as to assess the cover the whole
problem solving process.
A: Appreciate a problem exists
The outbreak of EBOLA in West Africa has been regarded as one of the most intense
logistical operations that has took place against an infectious disease (Team, 2014). When there was
outbreak of Ebola n 2014m, then the world as well as WHO was not well prepared for mounting the
response that had taken place on such a large scale (Chan, 2016). WHO was heavily ill-equipped in
terms of medical teams as well as other resources.
S: Specify its nature and scope
The severity of outbreak can be judged from the fact that it led to a killing od 11,000 lives.
Ebola virus disease has been regarded as severe as well as life taking illness that has caused a death
rate of 90 percent on account of infection by Ebola virus. The virus was first identified in the year
1976 when there were 2 simultaneous outbreaks in Yambuku and remote area of Sudan (Fowler and
et.al, 2014). The current outbreak took place in West Africa in the period of March 2014. IT has
been regarded as one of the most largest as well as complex outbreaks since the virus was detected
in 1976. This outbreak has witnessed many cases as well as deaths than others outbreaks in
combination. The severely affected nations included Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone that were
impacted drauiclayy due to weak health systems, as well as lack of human and infrastructural
resources (Ebola virus disease, 2016).
S: Solutions generation and selection
However, a drastic change was seen when support was received from European Union that
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played a decisive role to bring in a major turnoarubd in the outbreak of Ebola. The support came
out massive tythrough a provision of experts and medical team that rushed to the concerned places
with there equipment and supplies (Chan, 2014).
I: Implementation of chosen programmes
The outbreak was brought under control through a wide network of medical evacuation and
logistics teams that were imbibed with the skills for rebuilding damaged hospitals. These included
incident and information managers followed by a strong network of mobile laboratories and their
supplies (Fischer and Wohl, 2016).
R: Review whether the problem was solved
The current Ebola outbreak is still present in Africa and improvisations are being made so as
to respond towards the disease in a better manner (Frieden and et.al, 2014). But this is still going to
take a few more months as well as continued efforts for ending the outbreak for preventing the
disease from spreading to other nations. The agenda is to bring in zero cases of the same.
L: Learn how to avoid repetition
This outbreak definitely acted as a wakeup call for WHO. It taught the organization a major
lesson that they should never again be caught by surprise and should not be so prepared to cope.
The advanced preparations must be done with full urgency (Ali and et.al., 2016). This outbreak has
made an attempt to the highlight the separation that exists between the systems that are responding
to ground-breaking medical emergencies. With this, WHO has agreed that it should be better
integrated so as to tackle the future emergency responses. This is inclusive of considering the ways
by which there can be coordination in terms of humanitarian emergencies that are laid under
International Health Regulations (Team and et.al., 2015).
2. How well were the underlying issues and causes identified by the organization?
At he time of dealing with Ebola in West Africa, WHO were facing different causes and
issues. Due to this, it was unable to deliver the health care services to the community on right time.
The first issue in this context faced by WHO is weak health care system of the country (Gresh and
et.al, 2015). It leads to it was hard to kept the control over spreading Ebola diseases in rural areas.
The heath system of West Africa was that not much prepared and effective. The result of this was
health care professionals were taking time to identified the diseases (Gostin, 2015).
Another issue faced by WHO during deal with Ebola was damaged public health
infrastructure. The different states of West Africa are comes under poorest countries in world.
Emerging of civil wars year by year was damaging basic healthcare infrastructure. It had created
cohort for the young children in terms of they were unable to get less or basic education (Condit,
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2015). Transportation services, telecommunication networks and other facilities in West Africa are
still weak. It leads to delay in transportation of patients to hospitals, transfer sample to the
laboratories for testing, communicate the alerts, public information campaigns etc.
High population mobility across porous boarders is another issue and cause which identified
by WHO during Ebola disease treatment. West Africa is known for its high degree of population
movement across the boarder (Forestier, Cox and Horne, 2016). This mobility is seven time high
compare to anywhere in the world. The reason of this travelling on daily basis is for food as well as
work. Along with this, the families of most of West African people are living in different nations
(Baize and et.al, 2014). So, it becomes hard to trace out the cross boarder contact. In addition to
this, as the condition of one nation is start to improve than it attract patients of other countries. The
reason is they are seeking for the right treatment of Ebola and the result of this, it reigniting
transmission chain of diseases. On the other hand, the buried of dead people near ancestors is also
increasing the risk of transmission of Ebola from one person to another person (Drake and et.al.,
2015). Therefore, WHO has faced the issue during the deliver the treatment of disease in more
appropriate form.
Severe shortage of healthcare workers is another issues and cause faced by WHO during
breakdown of Ebola in West Africa. During this period, only one to two health care professionals
have appointed over per 100,000 populations (Townsend, Skrip and Galvani, 2015). Along with
this, the spreading of disease has also affected the health of the health care workers. They have also
faced the health issues due to infected from Ebola. It leads to the number of care workers have
started to decreased. Along with this, the rest of the care providers have neglected to serve the Ebola
patients. Frequent hand hygiene and keeping distance from others has also at declined phase
(Bishop, 2014).
The less number of staff members of WHO and other healthcare organizations has affected
the level of treatments of Ebola (Team and et.al., 2015). The result of this is it has increased the
number of infected patients within West Africa and this situation has worked like of source for
transmission of virus for the other nations. It has spread with the community with high rate and the
lack of the treatment facilities, the number of death from Ebola has increased in West Africa
(Stockton, 2015).
On the other hand, the cultural beliefs and behavioural practices of local community of West
Africa has also created the issue for WHO during dealing with breakdown of Ebola (Fedson and
Opalaug, 2014). The people has buried the dead bodies of their relatives in open areas which
increased the risk of explosions of new cases of infections. The old beliefs and traditions of local
people have affected the treatment process. Most of the group of people are resting near highly
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infections corpse and it has increased the transmission of infections (Drazen and et.al., 2014).
WHO has faced another issues that is reliance on traditional healers of local people of West
Africa (Schieffelin,and et.al., 2014). At the time of outbreaks of Ebola in nation, people have started
to take traditional treatment without referring the doctors. Due to this, the infection issues within the
community has increased day by day. Patients have rejected to go to the hospitals for the treatment
and it has raised the issue of health problems (Kraft and et.al, 2015). The lack of medical advice
from the health care professionals side has also leads the problem of outbreak of Ebola.
On the other hand, community resistance within West Africa as well as strikes by health
care workers has created the issue for WHO in deliver treatments (Gostin and Friedman, 2015).
Fear and wrong perception of the people about an unfamiliar disease has created the resistance in
local community. For the medical professionals, it has hard to remove that misconception about
Ebola disease and convinced them to adopt the right treatment. People have not ready to left
disinfecting house and fever checking and due to this, it has increased the chances of transmission
of diseases from one person to another (Grinnell and et.al, 2015). Along with this, local community
has resist to accept the interference of the ambulance and burial teams for buried dead bodies.
People have not ready to buried the death bodies in close and safe areas. On the other hand,
the care workers have started to strikes to sever the Ebola patients. They have refused to touch the
body of the patients (Wong and Uyeki, 2015). Along with this, WHO and other health care hospitals
have not paid a single wages to the care workers in the against of their efforts. Similarly, the
healthcare workers who have infected from Ebola infections have bot got the health insurance claim
from health care organizations (Lyon and et.al, 2014). So, all these things have created the
situations of strikes by health care workers. On the other hand, the medical campaigning from West
African government side has not started. People have not aware about the Ebola infection disease
and they have different misconception regarding this.
3. Generation and selection of solutions carried out by WHO to tackle Ebola effectively
There have various options generated from which WHO selected some alternatives to handle
Ebola outbreak. Although, it has true that World Health Organization has admitted serious failings
in handling the crisis of Ebola and committed to reforms its actions (Jacobs and et.al, 2015). The
reason behind failure of organization to treat the diseases is the old one spread in the community
with the new contexts. Along with this, slow and insufficient responses at initial level and poor
coordination with the other well-being and health partner (Team, 2014). The confusion in assign
roles and responsibilities and improper communication between the other service partners has
serious issue for WHO which unable to handle outbreak of Ebola.
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When Ebola outbreak in Africa, WHO has responded towards it by adopting various
solutions. In this respect, first one is provide the training to other health care workers to bring
outbreak under control (Bah and et.al, 2015). The organization has prepared guidelines where the
care workers can understand what precautions they have to do during tacking the Ebola patients and
dead bodies. Along with this, the training of disposing of dead bodies far away from the population
areas has also given. On the other hand, WHO coordinate with the other training partners to handle
and reduced the outbreak of these diseases. It has determined those areas of Africa and other
continent where Ebola has widely spread and affected the human with high rate (Kilgore and et.al,
2015). For this, it has worked with UNMEER and other health care organizations to developed new
training methods and techniques so that it can be easy to ensure the safety and security of care
workers.
Rather than this, WHO has started to worked with the other health care organizations to
decentralized responses towards Ebola. For this, a new”sector approach” has adopted in which
Africa has divided into four sectors (Team and et.al., 2015). Under this method, it has decided to
work into the small groups which included both local and national staff of health care. Some
empowerment has given to the local health care staff so that they can able to engage with the
community and create the awareness in the people about the causes, reasons, prevention etc from
the Ebola (Jamieson and et.al, 2014). So, this approach has made accountable and responsible to
each and every team members towards their work. The following zone level approach has enabled
the local communities to track out the Ebola cases and send the patients to the hospitals or near
Ebola treatment camps. Various health officers, local people and other health care organizations
have joined this Ebola fight mission and due to the efforts of WHO and other partners, the situation
became under control (Fowler and et.al., 2014).
On the other hand, another solution that has supported by WHO is deployment of medical
experts. The medical experts and other experienced care workers who have volunteered to travel to
West Africa, organization have prepared a small teams of those people (Tan and et.al, 2014). For
dealing with the difficult situations and prevent from Ebola, proper training given to them. The
numbers of medical experts teams have given various efforts to deal with Ebola diseases and for
increase the well-being of the people. Beside this, WHO has supported to arrange more than 1400
treatment and isolation beds in infected states of Africa for care of patients (Chan, 2014). Along
with this, organization has contributed in building of 6 Ebola treatment centres across the country
for treating and operating the patients.
Another solution that has supported by WHO for handling of Ebola is developing
community care units (Schieffelin and et.al, 2016). These community unites have identified those
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people as a suspect who might be suffering from diseases such as fever, cold etc. Such type of
patients has referred to the hospitals to diagnosis and appropriate care. By doing this, they have
ensure that if the person has diagnosed with Ebola that the treatment can be quickly start and keep
them isolate from other people in community. It has kept the control over spreading of disease.
Beside this, another solution that has followed and supported by WHO during outbreak of
Ebola and its handling is make the arrangements of emergency supplies (Moll and et.al, 2016).
Organization has made the contract with the different health care centres and other organizations to
collect all needed items such as food items, medical kits, clean blankets etc. Along with this, to
supply all these things in those areas of Africa which are completely isolate from urban areas,
different transportation systems and techniques have used. Another side, WHO has given efforts in
scientific research and testing to make the control over spreading of Ebola in other nations (Frieden
and et.al., 2014). In this, an emergency research has conducted to understand how this disease has
spread and how to stop it. For this, some temporary buildings and labs have arranged by WHO so
that treatment for the prevention from this diseases can be carried out in effective manner. In
addition to this, the number of diagnostic test of this diseases on every day basis has doubled
(Gostin and Friedman, 2015).
Rather this, another solution of Ebola that has supported by WHO to handle it is vaccine
trails. After the high outbreak of this diseases in Africa, the vaccine preparations process had been
started. Firstly, the treatment have given to those people who are currently working in Africa for
care of the patients (Gresh and et.al., 2015). The reason behind this is to prevent the virus spreading
and secure them from the diseases. Afterwards, this vaccines have given to patients and kept them
in isolated environment so that chances of spreading of Ebola virus can be reduced. On the other
side, one of the another alternative adopted by WHO to handle Ebola is improved public
information. For this, it has started to work with the other government, private and public
organizations as well as care service provide to develop different programmes (Schieffelin and et.al,
2014). The aim behind development of messaging events in creates the awareness in the community
about the reasons, symptoms and precautions from Ebola. Along with this, the different kinds of
posters, dramas, TV and radio ads have prepared so that people can aware and take precautions
regarding this. In addition to this, a guidelines have prepared by WHO and its supportive
organizations for advice for travellers. It has included various information about the diseases,
symptoms of Ebola etc (Condit, 2015). Along with this, the contact number of different near health
care organizations have mentioned so that in the emergency, travellers can make the contact with
them.
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4. Effective implementation of chosen solutions including relevant change management and
organizational transformation theory
After the realization of the mistakes, WHO has taken some serious steps and actions to
handle Ebola in most effective manner (Baize and et.al., 2014). The result of selected alternatives is
organization able to create a emergency reserve force where it became easy to response on the again
outbreak of Ebola. In addition to this, various Ebola treatment centres have prepared in nearest
areas of Ebola faced countries. Beside this, WHO has arranged the staff that can deal with Ebola
patients and explain the other people to how to protect it. On the other hand, the outcome of
responses of WHO in this direction is the various trust and medical institute came in front and
showed the interest towards treatments of diseases (Drazen and et.al, 2014). In addition to this, the
training and advice to healthcare and other social care workers have given. The responsibility of
safety and security of these members haven taken by organization itself. Along with this, WHO has
also gave efforts in development of official guidelines for the educational institutes that assist
schools and universities to explain the causes, precautions and prevention from Ebola. From the
above stated statements, it has been cleared that WHO has effectively implemented various selected
solutions in order to handle Ebola after the slow and insufficient responses towards it (Ebola in
Africa: the end of a tragedy?, 2016).
The phase between the initial response and new efforts has brought by adopting change
management method. For this, WHO has used two different organizational transformational model.
These are also called change management model. In this context, first theory related to change is
Kotter 8 step process. The general description of this model is explaining below.
The first step is sense of urgency where market and competitive realities examine. Along
with this, the different crises identified along with the opportunities. After this, some evidence give
that defines the needs of modifications (Kotter's 8-Step Change Model, 2016). Second stage is
building a guiding team where a group of people creates that enough power to lead the changes in a
work in effective manner. Next stage is creating a vision in where the team members give their
efforts to attain the changes and a strategy develops to achieve the objectives of alterations. Next
step of Kotter 8 step model is communicate the vision to the team members along with the
strategies to attain it (Change Model 3: John Kotter's 8 Steps of Leading Change, 2009). Here,
some guidelines allocate them to work in the direction of accepting and working according to the
new modifications.
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After this, next step is empowering others to act on the accomplish the vision. In this, the
different issues and problems have identified which create barriers in the direction of achieving the
objectives of changes. Along with this, some mitigation actions takes to overcome the impacts of
risks on new modifications (Kotters 8 Step Process: Identifying Important Elements to Successful
Organisational Change, 2016). Next stage is making short term goals to attain the vision regarding
the change management. In build on the change stage, a plan develops to access and recognize the
efforts of those personnel’s that involved in improvement process. Last stage is stick on make
changes where it is use in creating the connections between new behaviour after the change and
corporate success (Grinnell and et.al., 2015).
For overcome the mistakes at the time of handling the Ebola, the steps of WHO for
resolving those problems can be understand with the help of Kotter 8 step model. By sensing the
need of urgency to handle the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, WHO has understood and realise its
responsibilities towards the nations (Fedson and Opalaug, 2014). As per the this, it has developed a
team of health care experts and other care workers who can deal with the Ebola patients and explain
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Illustration 1 Kotter 8 step process
(Source: Riche, 2016)

the need of treatment for reduce the spread of it in the other states of country. On the basis of this, a
strategy has developed to handle the outbreak of the diseases. According to it, a vision has
formulated to achieve the objectives of the work (Kraftand et.al., 2015). After this, a proper
communication channel has made so that new vision and strategies related to handling the outbreak
of Ebola in West Africa can be communicated within the different teams of the experts and other
joined healthcare organizations.
Now, WHO has given empowering to the experts to act for achieving the vision and take
steps to resolve the obstacles. The structure of reporting from down to top has changes and make it
more flexible (Lyon and et.al., 2014). Along with this, the organization has increased the
engagement of the staff in the decision making procedure to handle outbreak of Ebola in West
Africa and other countries. After this, a planning for bring the improvements in the action plan and
enhance productivity of the healthcare workers. By seen the level of progress of reducing the
outbreak of Ebola, some consideration actions have taken by WHO so that treatments process can
be speed up and its impact and spread can be reduced within minimum time duration (Jacobs. and
et.al., 2015). On the basis of this, a report has prepared which consist different activities and
solutions to handle Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
Another model that can be consider for change management is Kurt Lewin Change
Management Model. It has three steps: unfreeze, transition and freeze (Bah and et.al., 2015). In
unfreeze stage, it include a point to understand why change is important and prepare itself to move
away from the comfort zone. Here, the organization needed to break down the existing status quo
before accepting or implement new modifications. For this, the management has to prepare a
massage to explain that why the existing working practices or things cannot be continue. By
highlighting the issues in the message, it can be easy to explain the requirements of the changes
within the workplace (Jamieson and et.al., 2014).
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