Building confidence in crises – the roles of Sierra Leonean religious leaders’ during the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak

Background Religious leaders have been involved in health promotion campaigns for many years across West Africa, such as their engagement in the HIV/AIDS pandemic response. This involvement in public health campaigns has indicated varied results in the past and therefore a critical approach is required when engaging them in the outbreak response. Little is known about religious leaders' perceptions of their role in communicating Ebola risks during the 2014–2016 outbreak in Sierra Leone.