Freetown, Sierra Leone, is confronted with health risks that are compounded by rapid unplanned urbanisation and weak capacities of local government institutions. Addressing them implies a shared responsibility between government and non-state actors. In low-income areas, the role of community-based organisations (CBOs) in combating health disasters is well-recognised. Yet, empirical evidence on how they have utilised their networks and coordinated community-level strategies in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic is scant. This paper, based on a qualitative study in two informal settlements in Freetown, employs actor-network theory to understand how CBOs problematise COVID-19 as a health risk, interact with other entities, and the subsequent tensions that arise. The findings show that community vulnerabilities and past experiences of health disasters informed CBOs' perception of COVID-19 as a communal emergency. In response, they coordinated sensitisation and mobilisation programmes by relying on a network of actors to support COVID-19 risk reduction strategies. Nonetheless, misunderstandings among them caused friction.

中文翻译：

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健康流行病中基于社区的组织的行为者网络分析：来自塞拉利昂弗里敦 COVID-19 响应的证据

塞拉利昂弗里敦面临着健康风险，而快速的无计划城市化和地方政府机构能力薄弱则加剧了这种风险。解决这些问题意味着政府和非国家行为者之间的共同责任。在低收入地区，以社区为基础的组织 (CBO) 在抗击健康灾难中的作用得到了广泛认可。然而，关于他们如何利用他们的网络和协调社区层面的战略来应对 COVID-19 大流行的经验证据很少。本文基于对弗里敦两个非正式定居点的定性研究，采用行动者网络理论来了解 CBO 如何将 COVID-19 视为健康风险、与其他实体互动以及随后出现的紧张局势。调查结果表明，社区的脆弱性和过去的健康灾难经历使 CBO 将 COVID-19 视为社区紧急情况。作为回应，他们依靠行动者网络来协调宣传和动员计划，以支持降低 COVID-19 风险的战略。然而，他们之间的误解引起了摩擦。