This is a small and mostly pictorial presentation which describes the role of community mobilisation in fighting Ebola. The small success stories has been taken from the World Health Organisation site, to have a better understanding of the power of community mobilisation in fighting any disease state, specially in countries of Africa .

1. Mobilizing the
community
for Ebola
Dr Sourav Goswami
JR, Dept of Community
Medicine, MGIMS,
Sevagram
1

2. Ebola fight takes community
approach
Involving everyone: Social mobilization
is key in an Ebola outbreak response
2

3. Stories from the field- 1
Community Response Group:
How Kailahun district kicked
Ebola out
CRG volunteer Philip S. Lukulay
holding a discussion on Ebola with
okada bike riders
CRG volunteers making their visit in
the
households and counseling the family
The Sierra Leone communities
organize to form Ebola Response
Group
3

4. Stories from the field- 2
Role of religious leaders
4

5. Stories from
the field: 3
Role of a teacher
“I’ve been a teacher
for 22 years, and
people around here
trust me, so when I
and my colleagues
approach them
telling them how to
prevent being
infected by Ebola,
they are more likely
to listen,” says Mr.
Kanboh.
5

6. Stories from the field-
4
"Wise people" help to
fight Ebola in remote
villages of Guinea
“We are your brothers and
sisters, we could never lie to
you” says 60-year-old Marianne,
as she walks from her motorbike
towards a group of angry people
in village Katkama. She opens her
hand and offers a cola nut and a
little money. It is a sign of peace
and respect – and, in this case,
the gesture works – the villagers
begin to listen
6

7. Stories from the field-5
Spreading the word about
Ebola through music and
dance
“Take away the fear, don’t hide yourself.
People can still survive from Ebola,” so say
the lyrics of the Ebola Rap, a song written
by Charles Yegba, a Liberian artist seeking
to raise awareness about the virus in his
community.
7

8. Stories from the field:
6
ROLE OF STUDENTS
Local students in Liberia
became active Ebola case
finders
Ever since the closure of
the university due to the
Ebola outbreak, Tony
Harrison, sociology
student at the University
of Liberia, has been trying
to help stop the spread of
the Ebola virus in his
country. He joined the
team of active case finders
to go from house to house
to find out if sick people
are being treated.
8

9. Stories from the field: 7
Kick Ebola Out: By medical students
9

10. In this campaign, medical students went
from house to house to disseminate the
Ebola preventive guidelines that have been
approved by WHO and Ministry of Health.
Medical students also distributed chlorine
and soap for hand disinfection.
10

11. “Vaccine is a powerful weapon against
Ebola. So is knowledge. So is education”
11

12. “Each one of us has a role
to play”
12

13. References
 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US). Ebola
(Ebola virus disease): 2014 West Africa outbreak [cited 2016
feb 1]. Available from: URL:
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/index.html

10-step approach for health communications with community-
and faith-based organizations during public health
emergencies. In: Neville Miller A, Rubin DL, editors. Health
communication and faith communities. New York: Hampton
Press; 2011. p. 29-45.
 3. UNICEF: A teacher’s turf: Community outreach in the fight
against Ebola [cited 2016 Feb 1] Available from: http
://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/liberia_78051.html
 4. Santibanez S, Siegel V, O’Sullivan M, Lacson R, Jorstad C.
Health communications and community mobilization during an
Ebola response: Partnership with Community and faith based
organizations. Public Health Reports: March-April 2005; vol
130:p.1-6.
 5. World Health Organisations. Ebola virus disease outbreak
[Cited 2016 Feb 1] Available from:
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/en/ 13