COVID-19 and Agricology: Echoes of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Africa

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This blog post argues that as Africans, in order to circumvent the on-going global health crisis, must begin to transform their understanding and appreciation of the role and value that their indigenous knowledge systems has played in the past and can still play in this process.   Read more

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Trust in science and in government plays a crucial role in COVID-19 response

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Control of epidemic diseases relies on public compliance with government decisions and scientific advice. What does trust have to do with it? According to Danielle Resnick, a lot: Changing the behavior of citizens depends upon it. She highlights multiple gaps in trust in different pandemic responses around the world, and outlines the factors underlying them—and offers insights into how politicians and scientists might build the trust needed in leading ongoing mitigation responses to COVID-19 and…

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In this extraordinary time, routine healthcare is essential

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As global health leaders, governments, civil society and NGOs grapple to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, the voices of women and girls remain largely unheard. The Coronavirus Global Response launched by the European Commission has raised €9.8 billion to date to combat the pandemic; however, allocations explicitly for the protection and continued provision of routine services for women, adolescents and children have not materialised (the majority of funds are earmarked for vaccines development, deployment and diagnostics)….

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Coronavirus: A window of opportunity for action on migration?

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The virus, and the impacts of national responses to it, have magnified existing inequalities in access to healthcare, safety, and economic security. However, according to the UN brief, they also present the international community with an opportunity to “reimagine human mobility for the benefit of all”. Around the world, a number of local and national governments have responded to the virus by taking steps to protect the health and human rights of irregular migrants and…

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Why working together on global migration is vital to pandemic recovery

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As we struggle with the greatest global challenge in recent history – a pandemic the UN secretary-general says has “brought us to our knees” – multilateral cooperation and human rights are of greater consequence than at any time since 1945. Nowhere will the need for multilateralism be clearer in the coming months than as it relates to migration and migrants’ rights.   Read more

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COVID-19 Response Underlines the Need for Portable Social Protection Programs

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The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the need for a universal and portable social protection system that can uniquely verify people and deliver benefits efficiently and at scale. With few exceptions, most developing countries have a patchwork of social assistance programs that are targeted and delivered to its beneficiaries. In most cases, the programs are not portable, meaning those who live and work in a place other than where they are registered—like many who have migrated…

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The political economy of the fight against COVID19 in Africa

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In spite of the lack of evidence of rapid spread, African governments have been accused of copying and pasting the strategies used in the global north, creating a double burden of economic and political crisis. It is therefore important to review how African countries are responding to the pandemic, and to reflect on the opportunities and threats that the virus represents for policy and practice. The author argues that unless African countries understand the unique…

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Some Lessons from the History of Epidemics in Africa

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This article argues that not surprisingly, Covid-19 has brought out old stereotypes of an allegedly under-medicalized, pre-modern Africa where poverty and a supposed scientific underdevelopment condemn Africans to medical impotence. However, the history of epidemics and biomedicine demonstrates the long experience and extensive expertise of researchers, caregivers, and ordinary people. In addition, the experience of crises, especially health crises, is much stronger in Africa than in Western countries. What history and anthropology demonstrate is the…

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The Indirect Health Effects of COVID-19: Lockdown Measures and Service Provision

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As we head into June, reports have continued to emerge that highlight the magnitude of the indirect effects the COVID-19 pandemic is having on  health systems around the world. The pandemic has created additional barriers for patients accessing essential care, whether it be restrictions on movement, transportation restrictions, stigma, impoverishment from loss of livelihoods, or avoidance of care due to concerns over contracting the virus. The authors of this article’s aim is to highlight some of…

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As Global Health Players Pivot To COVID-19 Responses, We Need Coordinated, Real-Time, Formative Evaluations

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An estimated $15.9 trillion has been mobilised to respond to the health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of this has gone to multilateral and bilateral funders to support low- and middle-income countries’ (LMIC) governments. But how is this money being spent, and how is it impacting country budgets and expenditure more broadly? Of the total $15.9 trillion mobilised for COVID-19, multilateral funders⁠—including the IMF, UN, EU, Gavi, and the Global Fund⁠—have committed…

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