Biography
Biography: Neelam Doshi
Abstract
Ebola viral disease (EVD) is a re-emerging, zoonotic, viral hemorrhagic disease. The Ebola outbreak of West Africa in 2014-15 is the largest till date, affecting the metropolis as well as rural lives, in addition to that of health care professionals. The cardinal components to prevent EVD include early recognition, prompt diagnosis, dissemination dynamics, quarantine of cases, contact tracing, active surveillance, safe burials, infection prevention practices including PPE and societal education. All the above were challenged significantly in this outbreak. What started as a regional medical emergency rapidly evolved into an international catastrophe. Coordinated global efforts to strengthen the health care systems in resource-poor regions, along with public health education and community engagement were the prime factors which mitigated its impact. Favourable new vaccine and pharmaceutical interventions could be a breakthrough in combating this fatal and neglected tropical disease. The keynote will be an interactive session, exploring the past, present and future of Ebola viral hemorrhagic disease.