Bill Gates: The Ebola Crisis Was Terrible. But Next Time Could Be Much Worse. - NYTimes.com
▻http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/18/opinion/bill-gates-the-ebola-crisis-was-terrible-but-next-time-could-be-much-worse.
The Ebola epidemic might have been a lot worse if the United States, Britain and other governments had not used military resources to fly people and equipment into and out of affected areas. But we should not assume that the next epidemic will limit itself to countries that welcome Western troops.
#Data is another crucial problem. During the #Ebola epidemic, the database that tracks cases has not always been accurate. (...)
Then there’s our failure to invest in effective medical tools like diagnostic tests, drugs and vaccines. (...)
Compare all this to the preparation that nations put into defense. Armies have systems for recruiting, training and equipping soldiers. NATO has a mobile unit that is ready to deploy quickly. Although the system isn’t perfect, NATO members do joint exercises where they work out logistics like how troops will get food and what language they will use to communicate.