By Jean Kaseya and WHO DG Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Read online: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/aug/24/ebola-100-day...
Ebola is a disease that spreads through communities, so we need to listen to communities if we want to halt its spread
Each time we travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), we go first to listen. In Bunia, we have met dozens of community representatives: survivors, women, young people, local organisations, health workers and leaders from affected areas.
Their message was direct: involve us. We know our communities. We know where families seek care, how information moves and why trust is breaking down. Give us the means to help drive the response. They were right.
Ebola spreads through communities – and communities hold the knowledge required to stop it.
They can identify illness early, alert health teams, help trace contacts, challenge dangerous rumours and support families through treatment and safe, dignified burials. The response will move faster when communities lead alongside national authorities and health workers...
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HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org