U.S. News & World Report: Responding to the Next Ebola
Jonathan Fielding, distinguished professor of public health and pediatrics at UCLA

“…Here are several high priority recommendations [on how to be better prepared for future disease epidemics]: First, the U.S. must help the World Health Organization and countries with limited ability to determine the size and severity of disease outbreaks and limited clinical capacity [to] strengthen their surveillance and response capabilities. … Second, HHS needs a pot of discretionary funds that can be accessed and spent both here at home and abroad in case of public health emergencies without getting prior approval from Congress or the federal Office of Management and Budget. … Third, we need the capacity to call on the right people to combat public health threats. … Fourth, we need clear and decisive guidelines on when and under what circumstances the U.S. is willing to send clinical medical care personnel to other countries. … [B]y helping to build up resources and capacity to respond, we will do a better job protecting Americans here at home from the next public health emergency” (11/29).