Ebola outbreak: A crisis of history, not misinformation

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While communities subscribe to clearly false rumours that Ebola is a hoax or being spread by government and international responders, the reasons such misinformation appears plausible – a history of exploitation, insecurity, and neglect – are undeniably real. 

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The rumour that the outbreak is a hoax to draw in foreign money and attention is factually wrong. But the suspicion underneath it – that interventions serve interests other than those of the population, and that the attention will leave when the cases do – is historically grounded. Correcting misinformation while leaving the grievance beneath it untouched is not enough to overcome distrust.

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So how can this be overcome? There is no template. The political and social contours of each setting need to be examined, and strategies tailored accordingly. This is a central part of the work that must be taken on now with potentially varied approaches deployed. First and foremost, in the absence of a pause in fighting, it will be difficult to even engage communities much less pursue any response measures. Brokering a truce at least until transmission can be contained is challenging given the array of actors and mining interests in the area, with multiple governments implicated. Neutral diplomatic pathways may be needed, including regional mechanisms such as the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), a Great Lakes intergovernmental forum that has played a role in regional ceasefire-monitoring efforts.

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