A Transdisciplinary Approach to Get a Deeper Insight in the Context of Ebola Virus Outbreaks in War-torn Regions: A Comprehensive Guide for NGOs

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Ebola virus disease is a deadly disease with mortality rates ranging from 25% to 90%. The previous outbreak in the north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) posed extra challenges since it took place in a war-torn region. The roots of this conflict can be traced back to the beginning of colonization (at the end of the 19th century) and have led to struggles concerning land tenure and local identity. The political and socioeconomic situation further complicated an adequate Ebola virus outbreak response. Early efforts and control strategies taken by the DRC Ministry of Health, supported by the WHO, UN peacekeepers and a number of humanitarian aid organizations eventually resulted in the tenth Congolese outbreak being controlled. However, medical NGOs encountered many obstacles, ranging from mistrust by the local population, to an unsafe working environment, lack of infrastructure, etc. This paper identifies building trust as one of the key ele ments for NGOs to optimize cooperation with the local population. Our data, gathered from semi-structured interviews, showed that establishing a relationship of trust with affected people and their communities is a crucial step in the Ebola virus outbreak response. This includes building a better comprehension by medical care workers of the local dynamics and cultural affinities. Therefore, we created a questionnaire to be used by medical aid organizations to increase their understanding of the local situation from an anthropological perspective. Such an understanding will contribute to building trust between the local community and medical aid organizations working in the field. This will hopefully enable them to anticipate future problems, and do their job in a more profound and comprehensive way, incorporating the local community as a partner for success. We have summarized our conclusions in a small 10-minute video.