Earlier this week I looked into press accounts of the Ebola situation; and I noticed that all three major stories for that day centered around West Africa.

The doctor who died in Nebraska was a significant loss to Sierra Leone.  He did not treat Ebola patients, but instead worked with other patients.  People with other health issues cannot use the hospitals and clinics where ebola patients are being treated.  For example, if you found yourself with complications in childbirth and needed a Caesarian, would you want to go to a hospital where ebola patients were being treated.

I learned that they have specific clinics and hospitals for the others.    This doctor worked in one of those clinics; but when a patient came in with an ailment and no one suspected ebola, he treated this patient and contracted the disease himself.

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In another story a village chief talks about how his community helps the Ivory Coast government protect its border with Liberia.  He said that the men in his village stand guard at the border, because their government told them that even if one case of Ebola gets into their village, then the government will have to come, burn down the village destroying everything, and quarantine its occupants.

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In another story it was reported that three healthcare workers were killed by villagers when the villagers suspected they were sent there by their enemies.

Right now I’m thinking about how fortunate we are to live where we do.  We’re also fortunate to have a strong government.