Regarding the story in the Dec. 3 Herald, “Ebola response too slow”: Wondering why Ebola got out of control? It is the lack of a strong health system.

A struggle to control this epidemic that has spread to other countries is extremely expensive and slow. Meantime other health care has gone by the wayside with people afraid to go to the hospital. Millions of children are no longer in school. So the long term solution is to strengthen the health care systems of developing countries. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has been doing this work for the past 15 years, but needs new funding to continue. Gavi’s goal of $7.5 billion will be used to vaccinate 300 million children against diseases, saving over 5 million lives and strengthening health care systems in the process.

An American pledge of $250 million for each of the next four years will inspire other donors and help Gavi continue its life-saving work. A quick heads up about this to your elected representative will help this to happen.

Willie Dickerson

Snohomish