Ebola and other Epidemics, Inadequate Healthcare Threatens Millions

[jimmy olsen]

That slum is so fucked. Thousands could die just in that one district.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/08/18/why-the-escape-of-numerous-ebola-patients-in-liberias-worst-slum-is-so-terrifying/?tid=hp_mm

[Liep]

Panic on the streets of Berlin.

http://www.morgenpost.de/berlin/article131372374/30-Jaehrige-mit-Ebola-Symptomen-wird-in-Charite-behandelt.html

[Siege]

How many people in Africa actually eat da poo poo?

3000 since 1967, according to Fate.

[jimmy olsen]

They've quarantined that slum with the army. Given that the disease already exists in the city outside of that slum I don't think it will have much effect other than to condemn thousands of those poor people to death.

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2024355394_liberiabarricadexml.html

[Martinus]

I'm not an epidemiologist, but there might be reasons communicable disease outbreaks so commonly occur in Africa. 

Not enough "kill-the-gays" laws like in Uganda? 

[jimmy olsen]

All Sierra Leone cases can be traced back to a faith healer living on the border of Guinea who claimed she could heal Ebola with a touch. She was mistaken.

http://news.yahoo.com/sierra-leones-365-ebola-deaths-traced-back-one-065404276.html

[Martinus]

Meanwhile, in the rational and scientific West:

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/yes-a-website-published-a-homeopathic-treatment-for-ebola-article--l1qdO2Pazg

What you need:
1. A face mask and gloves
2. Two bottles (50 ml up to 500 ml glass or plastic bottles) with caps
3. Clean water (mineral or tap water)
4. An Ebola sample: some spit or other disease product, such as blood, from a person infected with Ebola, or who is suspected sick with it.
Any small quantity will do, even a pinhead.
5. An alcoholic liquid, such as whisky, brandy, rum, etc.
6. Half an hour of your time.

[grumbler]

Meanwhile, in the rational and scientific West:

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/yes-a-website-published-a-homeopathic-treatment-for-ebola-article--l1qdO2Pazg

What you need:
1. A face mask and gloves
2. Two bottles (50 ml up to 500 ml glass or plastic bottles) with caps
3. Clean water (mineral or tap water)
4. An Ebola sample: some spit or other disease product, such as blood, from a person infected with Ebola, or who is suspected sick with it.
Any small quantity will do, even a pinhead.
5. An alcoholic liquid, such as whisky, brandy, rum, etc.
6. Half an hour of your time.

At the top of your cite:

"Natural News was made aware of a blog post that seemed to recommend a highly questionable method related to Ebola prevention. The blog post has been removed pending further investigation, and the blogger is under review. Natural News does not condone any member of the public attempting to interact with Ebola, a very hazardous biological threat."

Idiot much?

[Martinus]

That someone had that idea in the first place is idiotic, no?

[Valmy]

Homeopathy

[grumbler]

That someone had that idea in the first place is idiotic, no?

Not nearly as idiotic as implying that that sort of nonsense was in any way connected to "the rational and scientific West."  As a troll, that's weak sauce indeed.

[Martinus]

That someone had that idea in the first place is idiotic, no?

Not nearly as idiotic as implying that that sort of nonsense was in any way connected to "the rational and scientific West."  As a troll, that's weak sauce indeed.

My point was that we are making fun of Africans with their voodoo doctors and shamans, but in the West we have our own share of lunatics. Or are you saying that homeopathy is not a Western phenomenon?

[Valmy]

My point was that we are making fun of Africans with their voodoo doctors and shamans, but in the West we have our own share of lunatics. Or are you saying that homeopathy is not a Western phenomenon?

I think we are rather horrified of the serious damage these sorts of beliefs are having in Africa with regards to the Ebola epidemic than laughing and doing blackface dances or whatever.  But we do the same when Westerners do horrible things like immunization skepticism or other dangerous anti-science nonsense that leads to tragedy.

[Martinus]

My point was that we are making fun of Africans with their voodoo doctors and shamans, but in the West we have our own share of lunatics. Or are you saying that homeopathy is not a Western phenomenon?

I think we are rather horrified of the serious damage these sorts of beliefs are having in Africa with regards to the Ebola epidemic than laughing and doing blackface dances or whatever.  But we do the same when Westerners do horrible things like immunization skepticism or other dangerous anti-science nonsense that leads to tragedy.

True, but I think we tend to view (or at least imply) the former asa rule and the latter as an exception to the rule.

Again, I am not saying that this is necessarily untrue - just that I claim to be agnostic about this (same as I do in the Islam thread) and I am concerned we are operating based on a stereotype rather than fact and statistical data.

[Valmy]

True, but I think we tend to view (or at least imply) the former being a rule and the latter an exception to the rule.

Euros might.  I live in a country where something like 25% believe the world is 6000 years old.  No telling what idiotic stuff Americans will believe.