PhD defence Aschalew Abayneh Workineh

Keywords: Community engagement, Infectious diseases, Outbreak response, Preparedness

"Evaluating community participation in infectious disease outbreak response: lessons from Covid-19 and cholera outbreaks in the Sidama region, Ethiopia"

This thesis explored how communities can play a stronger role in preparing for and responding to infectious disease outbreaks, drawing on experiences from COVID-19 and cholera in the Sidama Region of Ethiopia. The research found that while communities often have important knowledge and a willingness to contribute, their meaningful involvement in outbreak response remains limited. Factors such as access to information, education, economic circumstances, trust, local leadership, and available resources influence how actively people participate. The studies also highlighted the important role of community health workers, local leaders, religious leaders, and community networks in connecting health services with the population. Overall, the thesis shows that effective outbreak response depends not only on medical and public health measures, but also on actively involving communities in decisions and actions that affect them. It concludes that building trust, strengthening local capacity, and making communities genuine partners can improve preparedness and create more resilient health systems.

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