Recovering from the Ebola Crisis

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in parts of West Africa is now the largest, longest, most severe and most complex in the nearly four-decade history of this disease.

The socio-economic impact of the EVD outbreak is substantial. National economies have become isolated with stalemates in key sectors. Many people have lost employment, and agricultural fields have been abandoned in the most-affected rural areas. Livelihoods of households and communities have deteriorated. The education of an estimated 5 million children and youth has been set back as schools did not re-open at the start of the new school year in September 2014. The outbreak has strained the finances of governments. Additional expenditure to contain the EVD crisis amidst drastic shortfalls in domestic revenue has increased national deficits.

In response to a call by the United Nations Secretary-General and the Governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, an international team conducted an Ebola Recovery Assessment.The aim was to contribute towards laying the foundation for short-, medium- and long-term recovery while the medical emergency response continues to tackle the epidemic.