Zero Cases, Continued Readiness: Strengthening Community Preparedness for Bundibugyo Ebola Virus in Rwanda

Across Rwanda's western and northern borders, people, goods, and information move constantly. So does disease risk. Rwanda has recorded zero cases of Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease (BEVD), and keeping it that way demands preparedness before the threat arrives, not after.

Preparedness begins in communities, with people who can recognize warning signs, know when and where to report them, and understand how their actions can help prevent a potential outbreak from spreading.

To strengthen this first line of defence, Healthy People Rwanda (HPR), in collaboration with IOM Rwanda and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), is implementing the Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Readiness Project. The initiative focuses on strengthening community knowledge, improving early recognition of potential cases, and ensuring timely reporting in areas considered most at risk.

The project targets high risk locations and borders, specifically Points of Entry (PoE), busy cross-border border markets, and major transit points such as car parks and bus terminals. With people frequently moving across borders and between communities, timely access to accurate information and strong community-level preparedness systems are critical to maintaining Rwanda’s readiness.

Activities have been conducted across districts spanning Rwanda's key risk zones. In the western province, outreach has reached Rubavu, Nyabihu, Rutsiro, Nyamasheke, and Rusizi, districts that share borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo. In the north, activities have covered Musanze, Burera, and Gicumbi, along the border with Uganda. Nyagatare in the eastern province and the capital, Kigali, have also been reached, reflecting the project's commitment to preparedness across both border communities and high-density urban areas.

Preparing before a case occurs

This project follows a cascade approach, building knowledge from trained facilitators down to Community Health Workers and, ultimately, to the families and communities they serve every day.

The first stage was a Training of Trainers, where a core group of facilitators deepened their understanding of BEVD symptoms, transmission, prevention, and reporting procedures. Beyond the clinical content, the training placed significant emphasis on risk communication, helping participants explain health information clearly, listen to community concerns, and correct misinformation with confidence.

Building on that foundation, the next stage is equipping Community Health Workers in the priority districts with the practical knowledge they need to engage families and communities effectively.

Community Health Workers are central to this effort. They live and work within the communities they serve. They are trusted, accessible, and often among the first people a family turns to when someone falls ill. Strengthening their knowledge is one of the most direct ways to strengthen preparedness at the community level.

Turning information into community action

Equipped with accurate information, Community Health Workers and mobilisers take that knowledge directly to the public, through conversations in communities, markets, border areas, and transit points.

This approach is about more than distributing facts. People need space to ask questions, voice concerns, and receive answers they can understand and act on. That is especially important in the context of a disease threat, where misinformation can travel as fast, and sometimes faster, than accurate information.

BEVD spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, not through the air or mosquito bites, and because its early symptoms resemble common illnesses, community awareness, early recognition, and timely reporting are critical.

Listening to the questions communities are asking

A field activity at Nkora Market in Kigeyo Sector, Rutsiro District offers a telling example of what community engagement looks like in practice and why it matters.

In a single day of awareness activities, mobilisers directly engaged 1,700 people, including 1,000 women, 700 men, young people, and persons with disabilities.

Rather than simply delivering messages, the teams listened. And the questions people asked revealed the kinds of misconceptions that preparedness activities must actively address.

Could BEVD spread through the air? Could a mosquito bite transmit it? Was it safe to touch money or shake hands at a busy market? Would someone get into trouble for reporting a sick neighbour? What should people do if someone developed symptoms right there, in the market?

Community conversations were complemented by the distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, flyers and printed resources carrying key messages about BEVD transmission, prevention, and reporting. This ensured that the reach of the activity extended beyond those directly engaged on the day, giving community members who were not present an opportunity to access accurate information at their own time and pace.

Preparedness starts with trust

Keeping Rwanda free of recorded BEVD cases is not only about knowing the facts. It requires communities to trust the information they receive, know where to report concerns, and feel confident enough to seek help before a situation escalates.

By training facilitators and Community Health Workers and supporting direct community engagement, HPR, IOM Rwanda, and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre are working to build those foundations now, before an emergency occurs.