To prevent the next Ebola outbreak, we must invest in local expertise

Strong health systems depend on trusted local institutions that understand communities' languages, cultures and daily lives - Tony KARUMBA/AFP via Getty Images Nearly half a century has passed since Ebola was first identified in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, the world has learned a great deal about the virus. We have developed faster diagnostics, strengthened surveillance, and improved infection control across Africa. Yet today, another Ebola outbreak is spreading across eastern DRC and – to a much more limited extent – into neighbouring Uganda. And once again, the world finds itself scrambling to contain the outbreak.