Why should high-income countries help combat Ebola?

The outbreak of Ebola inWest Africa is devastating to the affected countries. With no specific treatments or preventivemeasuresavailable,Ebolahas, todate,caused almost 2300 deaths,1 overwhelmed fragile health care systemsandthereby led to inadequatecare forother serious diseases, and slowed economic activity. YetEbolamost likelywill notbecomeaglobalhealth threat.2 Ebola only spreads throughdirect contactwith infectedbodily fluids, andcontainment is readilyachievable inhigh-incomecountries.Thisundermines thestandard rationale for these countries to address infectious disease outbreaks in other regions—namely, to protect theirownpopulations.Forexample, fearofglobal spread hasbeenakeymotivation for addressing influenzaoutbreaks in southeast Asia. Why, then, should high-income countries help the affected countries combat Ebola and strengthen their health systems and infrastructure in the longer term? Three independent reasons justify action.