ABSTRACT
Public trust in government and health authorities has been widely deemed a crucial determinant of public compliance with epidemic response measures. During major Ebola outbreaks, lack of trust was identified as a critical factor limiting the effectiveness of outbreak responses in countries like Sierra Leone and the DRC, where legacies of war, colonialism, and instability have eroded institutional trust.
In the 2014 West African Ebola outbreak, militaries played a significant role in health and humanitarian responses, and militaries were again mobilised in the fight against COVID-19.
With the resurgence of Ebola and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, maximising trust and prioritising holistic human security remain key to epidemic responses. This chapter explores the militarisation of 2014 Ebola responses to provide insights on how best to incorporate the military into emergency responses to build and not harm trust and contribute to the discourse on civil-military engagement in health emergencies.
