( CNN ) -- There is no word more reviled in America than `` Ebola , '' especially since the death of Thomas Eric Duncan , the Liberian national who had traveled to Dallas . But as Ebola has spread , it has become increasingly clear that if there is to be any chance of stopping the disease -- not only here in America , but across the world -- then the United States must lead through inspiring example . Unfortunately , the response of some institutions that should know better has been anything but inspiring . First , this idea of a travel ban . Amidst numerous calls for a ban on air travel to and from West Africa , including from Texas Gov . Rick Perry , it is worth noting that West Africa is not a single country , but a region comprised of 15 nations . And while Liberia , Guinea and Sierra Leone have been ravaged by the disease , Nigeria ( 20 cases ) and Senegal ( one case ) have contained the disease , while Ghana , Togo , Cameroon and the other countries in this subregion of Africa have not reported any cases at all . Should the U.S. follow the lead of countries , including Jamaica , which have instituted such a travel ban ? The trouble is that doing so would give us a false sense of security , and at a huge cost . In spite of the hundreds , if not thousands , of Americans that are volunteering on the frontline to fight this disease , only one infected person has so far made it into the United States . And while it is true that the virus has also been contracted by Duncan 's caregivers , the hospital appears to have had a golden opportunity to halt the disease in its tracks here , when Duncan reportedly told staff about his symptoms . Perhaps worse than the heated rhetoric over a travel ban has been the way some of our academic institutions -- supposedly bastions of knowledge against ignorance -- have themselves been overreacting . Take the widely publicized case of Navarro College , a school in Texas , which reportedly rescinded admissions to Nigerian students based on a school policy of `` not accepting international students from countries with Ebola cases . '' Meanwhile , Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland recently reportedly withdrew an invitation to Richard Besser , ABC News ' chief health editor , who was scheduled to speak at the university on the need for good communication during health crises , citing his September visit to West Africa . Syracuse University for its part has also uninvited Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Michel du Cille from participating in its fall workshop for journalism students , despite his having passed the 21-day Ebola incubation period without showing any symptoms and having accompanied CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden to Congress . These institutions appear to be choosing to err not only on the side of caution , but of fear . More encouragingly , President Barack Obama has appointed an Ebola czar , Ron Klain , to help the United States tackle the problem . But if he is to make a success of his assignment , he will need to enlist the help of West African communities within the United States . Doing so will require reassuring these communities that they will not be stigmatized , but instead will be treated fairly -- even in cases where there are suspected or confirmed Ebola cases . My own experience working with the Clinton Health Access Initiative in HIV-ravaged parts of Swaziland in southern Africa showed me firsthand the perils of panic and stigmatization in an epidemic , and how these could drive people into the shadows , even if their illness is not actually related to Ebola . As with any epidemic , simple , clear and fact-based mass education is important . I was part of Nigeria 's virtual EbolaAlert.Org team that leveraged mobile technology and social media to help create mass awareness and respond in real time to questions , concerns , tweets and rumors before Nigeria was able to contain the spread of the disease . The United States , with its huge technological advantage , needs to do even better and quickly embark on a social education campaign about the disease and help to allay concerns . Ultimately , we must remember that we live in a truly global world , and simplistic measures such as banning flights to and from West Africa wo n't resolve these issues . And welcome as their assistance is , the United States will need to do more than just send soldiers to West Africa to address the immediate crisis . The United States should also ensure personnel are available to help develop social infrastructure , especially in Liberia . We are all in this together -- and that is the only way we can beat this virus . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Idris Ayodeji Bello .
U.S. response to Ebola is key for setting global policy , says Chief Ayodeji ##a . But too many institutions are failing , Bello says . A ban for people from West Africa would be counterproductive , he says .