The initial response to epidemics such as the West Africa Ebola epidemic tended to have a biomedical focus with little consideration of nonmedical personnel and local knowledge practices. The flow of information tended to be top down and one directional, from the West to the local communities, rather than bi-directional exchange of knowledge. The one directional flow of information marginalizes local communities and the knowledge they can provide. Furthermore, involvement of anthropologists, who could help navigate the local cultures, was minimized at the beginning. Lack of understanding the “norms” and value of the “other” discipline may inhibit interdisciplinary knowledge exchange. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we faced some of the same issues encountered during the Ebola epidemics. Yet, advances in information technology enabled international webinars on COVID-19, thus facilitating global knowledge exchange and broadening the boundaries of anthropological education. This paper explores the following: 1) the flow of knowledge to address health emergencies, 2) the potential benefits of bi-directional knowledge exchange to address a health issue; 3) the use of interdisciplinary teams to address health emergencies; and 4) the use of technology to facilitate global knowledge exchange. Collaborating with local communities and utilizing interdisciplinary teams may result in more effective and culturally sensitive interventions to health emergencies. Integrating digital and virtual modalities with physical learning in educational settings and in international conferences/webinars can facilitate learning about other cultures and global knowledge exchange.
