Newswise — WASHINGTON, DC (September 26, 2014)—Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH) at the George Washington University will hold an expert panel on October 2 to discuss the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, with a focus on interventions that could help curtail the spread of the deadly virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Liberia and Sierra Leone alone could have an estimated 1.4 million cases of Ebola by January of 2015—if effective ways of slowing or stopping the disease are not put in place.

The October 2 event features remarks by Lynn R. Goldman, MD, MPH, the Michael and Lori Milken Dean of Public Health at Milken Institute SPH, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Alan Greenberg, MD, MPH, chair of the Milken Institute SPH Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Speakers at the event will discuss the weak infrastructure that has allowed the disease to spread rapidly in West Africa; mobile technologies that might help with tracking and containing the disease; the Global Health Security Agenda and ways it might help prevent future threats like Ebola; and the response to the crisis so far.

Panelists at the event include Health Policy Associate Research Professor Julie Fischer, Health Policy Associate Professor Rebecca Katz, Murdock Head Professor of Medicine and Health Policy Fitzhugh Mullan, Global Health/Health Policy Associate Research Professor Seble Frehywot, Global Health Assistant Professor Amira Roess, Global Health Research Professor Lone Simonsen and Global Health Professor Ronald Waldman—all of the Milken Institute SPH at the George Washington University.

EVENT:Ebola: GW Responds to the Epidemic

WHEN:October 2, 2014; 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE:Milken Institute School of Public HealthFirst Floor Auditorium950 New Hampshire AvenueWashington, DC 20052

MEDIA: Event is free but members of the media should contact Kathy Fackelmann to attend the event at 202-994-8354 or [email protected]

About Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University: Established in July 1997 as the School of Public Health and Health Services, Milken Institute School of Public Health is the only school of public health in the nation’s capital. Today, nearly 1,400 students from almost every U.S. state and more than 43 countries pursue undergraduate, graduate and doctoral-level degrees in public health. The school also offers an online Master of Public Health, MPH@GW, and an online Executive Master of Health Administration, MHA@GW, which allow students to pursue their degree from anywhere in the world.