In the spotlight

Confidence in health care essential in fighting virus

It is more difficult to mitigate an outbreak of a contagious disease if the government and health care system is distrusted. Wageningen development economists studied the effects of deploying community leaders and local clinics in Sierra Leone during the ebola epidemic. They noted that investing in a good relationship with the local population fostered trust, which meant people were more willing to get tested and treated. With the current corona pandemic, this insight is more relevant than ever.