Community Engagement during outbreak response: standards, approaches, and lessons from the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone

Abstract

Summary pointsO_LIThe Social Mobilization Action Consortium (SMAC) was Sierra Leones largest coordinated community engagement initiative during the 2014 - 2016 Ebola outbreak. It worked in all 14 districts in Sierra Leone across >12,000 communities (approximately 70% of all communities), through 2,466 trained Community Mobilizers, a network of 2,000 mosques and churches, and 42 local radio stations.\nC_LIO_LIWe describe SMACs Theory of Change and utilization of the Community-Led Ebola Action (CLEA) approach. We present an extensive dataset of community engagement and monitoring with a focus on over 50,000 SMAC weekly reports collected by Community Mobilizers between December 2014 and September 2015.\nC_LIO_LICommunity engagement and real-time data collection at scale is achievable in the context of a health emergency if adequately structured, managed, coordinated and resourced.\nC_LIO_LIWe describe a correlation between systemic community engagement, community action planning and Ebola-safe behaviors at community-level.\nC_LIO_LIThe SMAC integrated approach demonstrates the scope of data - including surveillance data - that can be generated directly by communities through structured community engagement interventions implemented at scale during an Ebola outbreak.\nC_LIO_LIWe highlight important insights gleaned over time on how to informally integrate social mobilization into community-based surveillance of sick people and deaths.\nC_LI