In my recent discussions with PAPA (the Pan African Productivity Association), the topic of the Ebola virus came up.  Just as Africa seems to have recovered from the great HIV/Aids crisis (having largely got the ‘epidemic’ under control), the continent is hit by another great health problem – likely to have severe implications for those economies where the virus is rampant. 

The developed world is only just starting to see this as a global concern rather than as a ‘local’ African problem – and we might now start to see real resources going into research into both containment and cure.

Situations where we lack control are real drains on productivity.  We have to do what we can to help Africa take control of this situation or the whole continent – and then the rest of us – will suffer.