Africa has made significant progress in responding to public health emergencies, from Ebola outbreaks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet alongside viruses and other biological threats, another challenge has become increasingly difficult to ignore: misinformation.
As more Africans rely on social media and digital platforms for news and health information, false claims can spread rapidly, influencing how communities respond to outbreaks, vaccines and public health measures. The experience of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has faced repeated Ebola outbreaks, demonstrates why building trust and communicating clearly with communities must be treated as an essential part of epidemic preparedness.
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During an infectious disease outbreak, accurate information can be as important as medicine. People need to understand how a disease spreads, where they can receive treatment and why measures such as testing, isolation and vaccination may be necessary. When reliable information is unavailable, rumours can quickly fill the gap.
Platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok have transformed the speed at which information travels. While these platforms can help health authorities reach millions of people quickly, they can also allow false claims to spread before governments and health agencies have time to respond.
During Ebola outbreaks, for example, rumours have included claims that treatment centres were responsible for spreading the disease or that international health workers had hidden motives. Such claims can have serious consequences when they discourage people from seeking treatment or create hostility towards healthcare workers.
The challenge is not simply that false information exists. It is that misinformation often spreads in communities where trust in institutions is already fragile.
In parts of the DRC, years of conflict, poverty and limited access to basic public services have shaped how communities view government institutions and external organisations. When large international health teams arrive during an emergency, communities may understandably question why so many resources are suddenly available for an outbreak when everyday health needs have received far less attention.
This makes trust a central part of public health.
Health authorities cannot expect communities to accept difficult measures simply because they have been instructed to do so. People are more likely to cooperate when they understand why a measure is necessary, when their concerns are taken seriously and when they can see familiar and trusted people involved in the response.
Burial practices provide an important example. During Ebola outbreaks, the need to prevent transmission can require specialised burial procedures that limit physical contact with the body. Yet burial is deeply significant in many African communities, and families may expect to wash, touch and prepare the body of a loved one according to cultural and religious traditions.
If health authorities simply prohibit these practices without providing a respectful alternative, resistance can grow. Families may hide bodies or conduct private burials, making it more difficult for health teams to trace contacts and prevent further transmission.
This demonstrates why fighting misinformation requires more than correcting false statements. Public health communication must also understand the cultural realities behind people’s fears and decisions.
Community leaders can play a particularly important role. Religious leaders, traditional authorities, teachers, community health workers and Ebola survivors often have greater credibility within their communities than outside experts.
Survivors can be especially powerful advocates. Their experiences can demonstrate that the disease is real, that treatment is possible and that recovery can occur. They can also explain their experiences in local languages and in ways that resonate with people who may distrust official messaging.
The same principle applies to digital communication. Health authorities need to monitor the information environment and identify rumours before they become widespread. Rather than waiting for misinformation to reach millions of people, governments and health organisations can establish systems that allow emerging claims to be identified, investigated and addressed quickly.
Initiatives such as Congo’s “Balobaki Check” reflect this changing approach. By providing a mechanism for checking and challenging false information, such efforts can help strengthen public understanding while giving communities access to more reliable sources.
However, combating misinformation cannot depend entirely on social media campaigns during emergencies. It requires investment in health systems long before an outbreak begins.
A community that regularly interacts with trusted health workers is more likely to listen to those workers during a crisis. Primary healthcare centres, vaccination programmes, maternal health services and community outreach therefore serve another important purpose: they help build relationships between health systems and the people they serve.
This is particularly important in rural and conflict-affected communities where access to reliable information may be limited. Radio remains an important communication channel in many parts of Africa, while community meetings, religious institutions and local health workers can reach people who may have limited or inconsistent internet access.
Governments should therefore build communication strategies that combine traditional media, digital platforms and face-to-face engagement rather than relying on a single channel.
The lessons extend beyond Ebola. COVID-19 demonstrated how quickly uncertainty can turn into widespread misinformation, affecting attitudes towards vaccines, treatments and public health restrictions. Future outbreaks will take place in an even more connected information environment, making communication capacity an essential component of health security.
Africa’s response to future health emergencies must therefore place community trust alongside laboratories, hospitals, vaccines and surveillance systems.
This means training healthcare workers not only to diagnose and treat diseases but also to communicate effectively with communities. It means involving local leaders in emergency planning and ensuring that public health messages are available in languages people understand. It also means responding to legitimate concerns instead of dismissing every expression of doubt as ignorance.
Ultimately, misinformation thrives where trust is weak and reliable information is difficult to access. Strengthening Africa’s public health systems can therefore do more than improve access to healthcare; it can create the trust needed for communities to respond collectively when a crisis emerges.
The continent’s next major health challenge may come from a virus, a drug-resistant pathogen or an entirely new disease. Whatever form it takes, the response will depend not only on scientific innovation but also on whether people believe the institutions asking them to act.
Building that confidence before the next emergency begins may prove to be one of Africa’s most important investments in public health resilience.
