Ebola outbreak in West Africa: Challenges to the reintegration of affected groups into communities

Reintegrating those most affected by Ebola back into their communities is central to a country’s post-Ebola recovery. The reintegration process helps those affected to cope with the impact of the outbreak and to regain a sense of normality. It is also an essential part of increasing community preparedness and building resilience to possible future emergencies such as a new epidemic or a natural disaster.

Out of approximately 28,500 suspected, probable and confirmed cases, nearly 11,300 people have died since December 2013. With such a significant caseload, everyone living in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia was affected by the Ebola outbreak in some way. Ebola survivors and their households, grieving families, orphans, quarantined people and frontline workers are among the most affected groups. This report outlines the key challenges these groups face as they reintegrate into their communities, and explores the main challenges for the response in supporting them through the process.