Dear Pradeep,
In a previous message you asked: "It would be helpful to know what misinformation regarding Ebola was spread in DRC that led to violence and the unfortunate death of health workers."
We have noted that some people do not believe Ebola is real, or that it is being spread deliberately by health workers. The picture is complex. This news item reveals another factor: in the midst of an Ebola outbreak, access to essential services may be restricted. It has frequently been reported that communities question the highly visible public health actions for containment of Ebola when little is done for everyday health emergencies. This can lead to further mistrust and conflict, as described below:
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Deaths of pregnant women double during fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history in DR Congo
Exclusive: More than 60,000 women still at risk as deadly impact of virus takes toll in epicentre of Ituri
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/africa/ebola-death-outbreak-c...
'Maternal deaths in Ituri province, the epicentre of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s deadliest Ebola epidemic, are surging as the fastest-growing outbreak in history outpaces the health response...
In July, a refusal to administer a blood transfusion to a woman with severe anaemia, who then died, led an angry mod to storm the Ituri hospital that had been treating her. As a result, several of their 10 Ebola patients escaped, potentially spreading the virus to others...
Epidemics also overwhelm clinics and strain health systems, preventing women from accessing routine care and safe deliveries...
Misinformation as to the source and spread of the virus, and fear of contracting it, has also kept women from attending health centres, The Independent previously reported.
"As fear spreads, women bear the heaviest burden of this epidemic. Pregnant women are terrified to seek care, dreading being treated as Ebola patients if complications arise or fearing they will contract Ebola in health facilities,” said Noemi Dalmonte, UNFPA Deputy Representative in DRC...'
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Also, in your message you said "such instances [are] not uncommon in India". Please would you likie to say a bit more about this?
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