The complexities of this issue are vast, as attempts to control Ebola must consider not only the virus, but also a multitude of extreme economic and social forces, a lack of information, and cultural behaviors. Paul Farmer explores this well in his book, “Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds: Ebola and the Ravages of History.”

Economic factors may result in impacted communities lacking necessary infrastructure like roads, hospitals, treatment centers, and diagnostic laboratories that make disease response more effective. Too, rather than misinformation, perpetuation of the Ebola virus may be attributed to a lack of information about how the disease spreads and the benefits of diagnostic and pharmaceutical resources. Many communities, especially those in rural areas, are uneducated on infection mitigation efforts like quarantine and contact tracing, as well as proactive disease prevention efforts like wearing a mask and isolating yourself from diseased individuals.

There is also something significant to be said about cultural behaviors, specifically in West Africa, and their effect on Ebola response. For example, there is a native superstition that attributes Ebola to witchcraft, tasking healers or religious leaders with explaining disease contraction rather than relying on medical professionals. Too, an overall mistrust in government institutions and dependence on traditional caregiving practices may also isolate people in that region from resources to fight and protect against disease.

MRIGlobal's efforts aim to provide impacted communities with mobile laboratories to support research and diagnostic capabilities, as well as training for healthcare workers to practice and teach proper disease management strategies.