“We want to be partners, not just recipients”: Community voices calling for a new era of people-centered Ebola preparedness and response

Summary

"It is difficult for most people to understand the current outbreak information. Ebola messaging should be in local languages to allow everyone to understand."

This statement from a community respondent in a recent Uganda Alliance of Patients' Organisations (UAPO) consultation captures a critical lesson from decades of Ebola response efforts: communities are not passive beneficiaries of outbreak interventions; they are essential partners in preparedness, detection, and response. Despite significant advances in Ebola surveillance, diagnostics, vaccination, and clinical management, outbreaks continue to expose persistent gaps in trust, communication and community engagement.

Content

In June 2026, UAPO conducted a rapid community consultation involving 91 respondents from 15 districts across Uganda, complemented by discussions with young people and community leaders. The consultation sought to understand community perceptions, concerns, barriers and priorities related to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the DRC.

In the article attached, Dr Anne Naguudi and Joshua Wamboga from UAPO discuss these findings, which reveal a clear message: communities want to move from being recipients of information to active partners in outbreak preparedness and response.

The findings reinforce a lesson repeatedly demonstrated throughout Ebola's history: communities are not the problem to be managed; they are the solution to be empowered. Communities want accurate information, equitable access to healthcare, protection from stigma and meaningful participation in decisions that affect their lives. They want trusted communication, social protection and opportunities to contribute to surveillance, preparedness, and response efforts.

The message to governments, WHO, donors and global health partners is clear: sustainable Ebola preparedness and response requires moving beyond consultation toward genuine partnership. By investing in trusted local leadership, patient organizations, inclusive communication, and community-led preparedness structures, we can build responses that are not only more effective but also more equitable, resilient, and people-centred.