Explore An Issue

What is the issue of concern? Provide a description that includes the 5 Ws.

The United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon is working to stop the outbreak of
Ebola around the world. In places such as Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone,
there have been 4,336 cases, and 2,218 deaths. This disease is spreading rapidly, and
around 2,000 children have been left without parents. Kids arent getting the vaccines
that are needed, especially in Liberia, and are also being shunned by their communities
because they are looked at as a source of the illness.

Why is the United Nations concerned? In other words, why is this a global issue?

The disease has started spreading not only in Africa, but two cases have recently been
brought to the United States. Not many people have been able to overcome the illness of
Ebola, so the United Nations feels they need to step in now and try to work together to
figure out how to end this crisis.

What steps has the U.N. taken (or plans to take) to address this issue?

The secretary-general renewed the issue that countries must refrain from closing people
entering from areas hit hard like Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, he stated isolating
countries risks causing more harm and delaying efforts to stop the Ebola virus
rather than preventing its spread. Also, Mr. Ban brought to all countries
attention that they need to move as quickly as they possibly can to support
the countries affected heavily, and put this heavy outbreak to an end.