'Africa on its own': Little help in epidemics, says official

Africa's 54 countries have not received adequate international support in recent health crises, according to experts. [iStockphoto]

Africa must plan to respond effectively to disease outbreaks without international help, a top public health official said Wednesday, warning that the continent of 1.3 billion people is "on its own" during pandemics.

As assistance often never materializes, African nations must plug gaps in their response to outbreaks as such as Ebola in Uganda, said Ahmed Ogwell, acting head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.