Written By: Pavitra Sampath | Published : October 17, 2014 3:08 PM IST
Ebola is growing in it severity and with it reaching the US, it seems the disease might be unstoppable. But one man is at the forefront of keeping this disease contained -- America's top infectious disease expert, Tom Frieden. The director of the CDC, Frieden has become a public face and the scapegoat for the Ebola cases within the US. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Penn. told Frieden and other national health experts, 'By underestimating both the severity of the danger and overstating the ability of our health care system to handle Ebola cases, mistakes have been made.'
But what makes the director of the CDC so different is the fact that he was known as the 'wiz-kid' when he was young and loves baseball. A scientist at heart and the youngest son of well educated parents, Frieden was known to follow his cardiologist-father around inculcating his habits. Some of which also helped the Indian TB scenario. Known to have saved innumerable lives he also helped lead the anti-smoking programs and ban on trans-fats. To his supporters this father of two is the perfect man for the job.
In a statement to the AP news, Frienden's brother said, 'He gets the most pleasure out of doing the right things to help people. Our father was very much like this. He would leave the house at 7 in the morning, and say 'Got to go help the sick people.''
But to his detractors, Frieden's unwavering assurance that everything is under control is making false promises and undermines public confidence that the federal government is well equipped to handle the Ebola outbreak.
Frieden also told the House committee that the CDC is yet to discover how the nurse contracted the infection from the Liberian patient and has asked for strengthening of the infection-control procedures.
Image source: Getty Images
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