Larry Gostin on US Absence from the Global Response to Ebola and Hantavirus Emergencies

When Georgetown University’s Larry Gostin arrived in Geneva for the World Health Assembly in late May, the World Health Organization (WHO) was scrambling to contain two extremely rare outbreaks: Andes hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius, and Bundibugyo ebolavirus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In a new Milbank Quarterly Opinion, Gostin contrasts the actions of WHO leadership with that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the WHO Director-General is coordinating a global response to Ebola, the CDC Director has focused nearly exclusively on the United States: barring entry to even lawful permanent residents who have recently traveled in or near the DRC and funneling citizens to screening facilities. 

“Quarantines and travel bans have replaced scientific acumen and public health leadership,” Gostin says.