The ongoing Ebola crisis in West Africa cannot be solved through health interventions alone.
The international community is bent on stopping the spread of the virus and bringing the crisis to a peaceful, well-ordered resolution soon. But recently, this public health disaster has shown itself also to have roots in the mistrust between citizens and their government and in the misinformation that can accompany imposed public health decisions and actions.
To avoid further social turmoil and unnecessary fear, civil society leaders must be more purposefully included in the response and containment effort, according to groups working on the ground to combat bad information and poor communication in quarantined communities.
Read more articles on the Ebola outbreak:
● More money, people and coordination needed to contain Ebola — EU expert
● Ebola crisis in West Africa: A wake-up call for donors?
● WHO on Ebola outbreak: We need more health workers
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
