Ebola Crisis: The
Emerging Threat
Socio-Economic Effects
Impacts in Images Slide Show
Guinea
The Ebola virus can contribute to trappin the country in a poverty cycle:
1) Having 'an ill' work force, means production output decreases and not contributing money to the economy.
2) Coffee production in Guinea has fallen by 1/2 and cocoa by 1/3.
3) High unemployment
Households not able to buy enough food
4) Delayed foreign investmenrts, construction halted
5) 2/3 libian households not able to buy enough food
6) More dense crowds of people to look for work =- free border migration and spreads.
7) Communites had never experienced an outbreak and the fear adjustments of burial practices.
8) Poor facilities and social conditions in western Africa greatened as the scale was underestimated.
9) Impact on toursim to Guinea economy and the wider african economy e.g. Kenya, South Africa.
This is due to misconception in the 'western world' about the geographical location of the countries. Thus meaning that tourism reduced as people didn't want to travel.
Cases & Deaths
Sierra Leone
There were many socio-economic impacts for communities in Sierra Leone:
1) Schools closed - loss of education for next generation.
2) Hospitals were treating Ebola which meant that other diseases were not treated, thus worsening e.g. Malaria.
3) Impact on transport - many roads were blocked as there were checkpoint blocks for ebola.
4) There was large scale unemployment as 180,000 lost their jobs due to ebolas effects.
5) Farmers markets were closed to try and reduce the spread in crowded areas. This lead to buisnesses closing and a loss of family income.
6) There was a food shortage due to the lack of food being grown.
7) Social customs were affected as people were advised not to shake hands and burial practices were affected.
8) A large number of orphans will now grow up in the next generation after the death of many mothers and families.
9) Inflation in Sierra Leone is expected to rise to 10 percent..
10) London Mining Company removed staff from Sierra Leone. Without iron ore, countries growth output will fall from 20% to 5% [according IMF].
This will mean less money available for sectors of the economy and funding treatment for ebola in the ST and LT.
Liberia
Since Aug 2015, Liberia has seen the most deaths due to ebola virus:
1) In Liberia, the price of a bag of rice increased from $28 to $35 since the epidemic began. This is due to farmers abandoning fields in affected areas.
2) Food has increased from 30% to 75% just over one month in most rural areas in Liberia.
3) 60% women & 40% Men are unemployed in Liberia.
4) 80% families growing food had smaller harvests due to being unable to find workers to help with the harvest.
5) Construction at a major hydroelectric plant and new $10m palm-oil plant are on hold.
6) Estimated that the 3 main countries affected will lose $1.6billion in forgone economic growth.
Other social and ethical questions
The role of the western world - would there be less spread if the western world had stepped in earlier?
How long will foreign aid last after the health of international economies is at risk?
How long will these countries be dependent of foreign aid and imports for?
Should money be better ivested in sustainable development of these economies?
What will the psycological impact for families and children be?
Political Cartoon
