Why are people attacking Ebola clinics? It revolves around trust, death and body bags

Congolese police stand guard at an Ebola treatment center in the Democratic Republic of Congo that was attacked by local villagers. Efforts are underway to defuse the anger that has arisen from untrue rumors and mistrust of medical authorities. Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/Reuters hide caption toggle caption Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/Reuters "I was really shocked," says Dr. Babou Rukengeza. He's talking about the footage he saw on social media of flames and charred bedframes at an Ebola treatment center in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Community members attacked the facility on Thursday, May 21. By the end of the weekend there were two other attacks on a different medical facility treating Ebola patients. Staff and suspected Ebola patients fled in the midst of the chaos. Rukengeza found himself asking: "What will be our response?" And he had an answer: "We have to build trust." Rukengeza is the Ebola Response Health Lead for Save the Children in his native Democratic Republic of Congo, where he is based. It's been less than two weeks since the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. In that short time, mistrust between communities and health providers has been evident. While Rukengeza was shocked by the attacks, he admits, he is not entirely surprised. This has happened during past Ebola outbreaks — and the tension is particularly evident around the death and burial of Ebola patients. …