Psychosocial support during an outbreak of Ebola virus disease

Early on in the response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, psychosocial support was identified as a key priority. Psychosocial support is not only vital to ensure the well-being of the affected population, but also to counter-act the threats to public health and safety that fear, stigmatisation and misconception poses. Furthermore, everybody involved in the response, from expat staff, local staff and volunteers, are working under unusually stressful conditions.

This briefing note provides background knowledge on the psychosocial aspects related to Ebola and suggests psychosocial support activities that can be implemented.