Events such as the 2014-2015 West Africa epidemic of Ebola virus disease highlight the importance of the capacity to detect and respond to public health threats. We describe capacity-building efforts during and after the Ebola epidemic in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea and public health progress that was made as a result of the Ebola response in 4 key areas: emergency response, laboratory capacity, surveillance, and workforce development. We further highlight ways in which capacity-building efforts such as those used in West Africa can be accelerated after a public health crisis to improve preparedness for future events.
Keywords: Capacity building; EVD; Ebola; Ebola virus; Ebola virus disease; Guinea; Liberia; Sierra Leone; West Africa; epidemic; global health security; hemorrhagic fever; international cooperation; investments; outbreak; public health; response; viruses.