SSHAP Key Considerations for Outbreak and Epidemic Preparedness Response in Côte d’Ivoire

In August 2021, a suspected case of Ebola was identified at a hospital in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The patient had recently travelled from Labé, Guinea to Abidjan by road and was admitted to a hospital after experiencing a fever. If confirmed, this will be the first case of Ebola in Côte d’Ivoire since 1994 and is of additional concern due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and high regional and cross-border movement. This brief draws on the technical paper for the Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa (TDDA) programme (July 2021), to present key social science considerations for epidemic response and preparedness in Côte d’Ivoire, with relevance to the current situation. This updated summary includes new material from a rapid literature review and consultations with social science and public health experts in-country. This brief was written for SSHAP by Firmin Kra (Chaire Unesco de Bioéthique/Université Alassane Ouattara and Laboratoire, Population, Environnement-Développement/Institut de Recherche pour le Développement); Megan Schmidt-Sane (Institute of Development Studies); and Tabitha Hrynick (Institute of Development Studies). It was reviewed by Juliet Bedford (Anthrologica). It is the responsibility of SSHAP.