Civilian perception of the role of the military in Nigeria's 2014 Ebola outbreak and health-related responses in the North East region.

Robust civilian-military relations require an appropriately defined role of the military and clear civilian-military communication. Important considerations to contextualise civilian-military relations include military cultural-linguistic understanding, human rights promotion, and community-based needs assessments; such foci can facilitate the military's understanding of community norms and civilian cooperation with military aims. In turn, more robust civilian-military relations can promote overall epidemic response and reduce the global burden of disease.