Various studies have found that community participation is vital for sustenance of public health programs. Recent rapid outbreak of Ebola have further highlighted the need of educating affected communities regarding basic prevention modalities as it timely prevention can reduce morbidities and mortalities. During the early outbreak of HIV it is was rumored among Indians that the disease was linked to H1 visa to the USA. Things have remarkably changed and due to successful public health interventions people are more awareness for prevention and transmission route of HIV. Imagine the global disease outcome if people were not aware/educated of HIV by now?

Moreover, these scenarios gives us more food for thought such as could participation by lay public help in disease investigation? Or vice versa if outbreak investigation underline community participation?

Ebola is already creating havoc in African countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea and World Health Organization has declared public health emergency. In global arena, we need to prepare for any type of health emergencies stemming from travelers as any country can be exposed. In the absence of a vaccine, it is important to create awareness among people about the outbreak, lethality of virus, and more importantly preventive measures. As such barring travelers to or from the affected area does not offer solutions.

Ebola has quickly spread across the borders of 3 West African countries where people live across the shallow and narrow river that divides Guinea with Liberia and Sierra Leone. With community participation, it becomes easy to identify suspected case and again with community participation, treatment is made available fast to the diagnosed patients. It also helps to address attached myths and misconceptions about disease.

Another example of active community participation is of scabies treatment in the village of Galilli (Northern Israeli town). It was that time when computers and Internet were non-existent, Television was rare in villages and print media had supreme dominancy.

Physicians and nurses can play a great role in any public health emergency as they have contacts with multiple level of system. Physicians or nurses with community health background or epidemiology can influence investigation outcome, and community participation. Data collection needs involvement of community. Active participation of people would give large sample and accurate data. Even communicating findings needs the trust of the community if it needs to reach large population for creating awareness and healthy habits.

Educational interventions can be tailored as per the capacity of concerned country. In a resource limited setting, mode of education changes and materials used in education also vary to some extent. For example, People in Africa should be educated about the risks attached with burial of bodies or contact with forest animals helps transmission of disease. Objective of reducing human-to-human transmission should be on priority by educating people: contact with patients body fluid such as blood, saliva or pus should be avoided. Healthcare professional while dealing should wear gloves with patients; in addition, encourage hand washing. Lay people who come across such patients should notify health care agencies or health care professionals.

Three lethal facts about Ebola: 1) Case fatality rate is very high 2) There is no specific treatment available, only supportive measure available. 3) And no vaccine available. Only good news is that at least it is not air borne.