This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29672179

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Ebola crisis: UN defends response after WHO report Ebola crisis: UN envoy rejects criticism of agency's response
(about 3 hours later)
A senior UN health official has defended international moves to tackle the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The UN's special envoy for Ebola has defended efforts to fight the virus in West Africa after leading aid agency MSF said they had had no real impact.
David Nabarro, UN system co-ordinator for Ebola, told the BBC that plans were on course to provide 4,000 beds for Ebola patients by next month, compared with 300 at the end of August. David Nabarro told the BBC that plans were on course to provide 4,000 beds for Ebola patients by next month, compared with 300 at the end of August.
His comments follow a damning internal report from the World Health Organisation (WHO). MSF coordinator Christopher Stokes says the virus is still out of control.
It said the UN agency had missed the chance to stop the disease spreading. A damning internal report from the UN's own health agency, the World Health Organization (WHO), has also emerged.
An internal document said those involved "failed to see some fairly plain writing on the wall", according to the Associated Press. The WHO report found that it had failed to respond in time to a "perfect storm", according to the document reported by the Associated Press news agency.
Separately, sources close to the WHO told Bloomberg of multiple failures in the outbreak's early stages. Sources close to the WHO also told Bloomberg news agency of multiple failures in the outbreak's early stages.
In the worst affected countries - Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone - the Ebola virus has now killed 4,546 people with cases of infection numbering 9,191, according to the latest WHO figures.In the worst affected countries - Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone - the Ebola virus has now killed 4,546 people with cases of infection numbering 9,191, according to the latest WHO figures.
Mr Nabarro was responding to criticism of medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which said that pledges of deployment and aid had not yet had an impact on the epidemic. 'Very powerful response'
He told the BBC that he had seen a big increase in the international response over the past two months. The BBC's international development correspondent, Mark Doyle, asked Mr Nabarro to respond to the MSF (Medecins Sans Frontieres) allegation that all of the recent international pledges of help and deployments of staff had not yet had any impact on the epidemic.
Mr Nabarro said he had seen a big increase in the international response over the past two months:
"I am absolutely certain that when we look at the history, that this effort that has been put in place will have been shown to have had an impact, though I will accept that we probably won't see a reduction in the outbreak curve until the end of the year."I am absolutely certain that when we look at the history, that this effort that has been put in place will have been shown to have had an impact, though I will accept that we probably won't see a reduction in the outbreak curve until the end of the year.
"We are putting in place the foundations of a very powerful response.""We are putting in place the foundations of a very powerful response."
The reports have brought into focus the way the WHO dealt with the outbreak in the months after it received the first reports of Ebola cases in Guinea in March. Earlier, MSF's Christopher Stokes told our correspondent that it was "ridiculous" that his volunteers were still bearing the brunt of the care.
Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned in April that the outbreak was out of control - something disputed by the WHO at the time. MSF, he said, was still running the majority of Ebola treatment facilities across the region, responsible for 700 of the 1,000 or so beds in place.
"Nearly everyone involved in the outbreak response failed to see some fairly plain writing on the wall," the document obtained by AP says. Recent high-profile offers of help from the international community such as a British Army field hospital being built in Sierra Leone would not have any significant impact for a month or six weeks, Mr Stokes said.
The draft report - a timeline of the outbreak - also reportedly says that experts should have realised that traditional methods of containing infectious disease would not work in a region with porous borders and poor heath systems. The internal WHO report seen by AP states: "Nearly everyone involved in the outbreak response failed to see some fairly plain writing on the wall. A perfect storm was brewing, ready to burst open in full force."
Among the problems cited in the information obtained by AP and Bloomberg are: It says that experts should have realised that traditional methods of containing infectious disease would not work in a region with porous borders and poor health systems.
Issues highlighted by the unnamed WHO sources who spoke to Bloomberg include
How not to catch Ebola:How not to catch Ebola:
Ebola basics: What you need to knowEbola basics: What you need to know
How Ebola attacksHow Ebola attacks
What virus has hit - in mapsWhat virus has hit - in maps
Uncertainty over figuresUncertainty over figures
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.ukHave you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here.Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here.
Read the terms and conditions.Read the terms and conditions.