Confronting epidemics

Much has been written about global health’s securitisation and how this shapes policies and practice during outbreaks of infectious diseases. Central to this is the idea of developing health systems that are ‘prepared’ to deal with epidemics. Being prepared enables technologies, staf and systems to be mobilised at a moments’ notice to treat, contain and control the spread of epidemics. There is also increasing recognition of the multiple ways in which political, economic and social processes shape how preparedness is enacted, sometimes in unhelpful and counter-productive ways. This chapter explores the relationship between policies designed at a global and national level to facilitate a state of preparedness and practices on the ground during the Ebola epidemic. We reveal how political, social, economic and historical issues infuence preparedness and response at every level/stage in the process. In particular, our research reveals how strategic interests, value judgements, morality and fear may constrain discussions about appropriate ways to prepare.

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Published in: Routledge Handbook of Public Policy in Africa
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
See article on publisher's website: https://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003143840-47