Scaling up the Ebola Response: What we Learned from AIDS Activism

Abstract

Thirty years of AIDS activism have taught us many invaluable lessons in responding to rapidly evolving global health epidemics. In this article, I apply five of them-innovative governance and financing; alternative incentives for biomedical research and development on neglected diseases; health systems strengthening; community and civil society engagement; and human rights protection-to the current Ebola epidemic. Despite very different contexts and demographics, there is a striking resemblance between the AIDS and Ebola epidemics in the major governance, funding, health systems, community mobilization, and human rights issues that impede an effective response to the current Ebola crisis.