The 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic presented a challenging setting in which to carry out clinical trials. This paper reports findings from social science research carried out in Kambia, Northern Sierra Leone during first year of an Ebola vaccine trial (August 2015–July 2016). The social science team collected data through ethnographic observation, 42 in depth interviews; 4 […]
Literature and documents on past outbreaks, vulnerable regions and populations, and social context.
96 documents
Controversial Ebola Vaccine Trials in Ghana: A Thematic Analysis of Critiques and Rebuttals in Digital News
Communication is of paramount importance in responding to health crises. The authors studied the media messages put forth by different stakeholders in two Ebola vaccine trials that became controversial in Ghana. These interactions between health authorities, political actors, and public citizens can offer key lessons for future research. Through an analysis of online media, the […]
Ethical Challenges for International Collaborative Research Partnerships in the Context of the Zika Outbreak in the Dominican Republic: A Qualitative Case Study
The establishment of international collaborative research partnerships in times of infectious disease outbreaks of international importance has been considered an ethical imperative. Frail health research systems in low- and middle-income countries can be an obstacle to achieve the goal of knowledge generation and the search for health equity before, during and after infectious disease outbreaks. […]
Le Bon Goût de la Viande de Primate: des Interdits des Pygmées aka aux Injonctions Ecologiques
Comme dans de nombreux autres systèmes de pensée, les animaux sauvages, ici les singes, les chimpanzés et les gorilles, ne sont pas des êtres neutres : ils peuvent ne pas être seulement des gibiers, mais aussi des êtres dotés de pouvoirs bénéfiques et/ou maléfiques, animés par les esprits de la forêt qui les possèdent et […]
Preliminary Assessment of Lake Ntomba Fisheries
In May 2007, a WorldFish team traveled to the Lake Télé-Lake Ntomba Landscape in the Democratic Republic of Congo to conduct a preliminary assessment of the Lake Ntomba fishery. Primary data were collected through rapid rural assessment techniques in seven villages. Three questionnaires were delivered simultaneously in each village, focusing on (a) the fishing activities […]
UNICEF Annual Report 2016, Democratic Republic of Congo
Despite its vast physical size and abundant natural resources, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 176th out of 188 countries and territories in the 2015 Human Development Index. Child poverty is widespread and particularly concentrated in conflict-affected and hard-to-reach areas. According to a recent UNICEF […]
NGO Report on Indigenous Pygmy Peoples: Universal Periodic Review of the Democratic Republic of Congo
This alternative report has been prepared by non-governmental organisations of indigenous Pygmy peoples and their supporters: 15 non-governmental organisations that work with indigenous peoples of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Its aim is to present a picture of the situation of indigenous Pygmies. The organisations that have authored this report regret the lack of information on the […]
Revitalizing Health for All: Case Studies of the Struggle for Comprehensive Primary Health Care
While impressive medical and technological developments have improved health care around the world, improvements in health have been moderate and inconsistent across countries and communities. In response to this challenge, the World Health Organization outlined the concept of comprehensive primary health care, which involves not only providing a range of medical care from prevention to treatment, but also working to […]
Securing Forest Peoples’ Rights and Tackling Deforestation in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Deforestation Drivers, Local Impacts and Rights-Based Solutions
Deforestation and forest degradation have increased in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) despite the government’s commitment to safeguard its forests. Commercial and industrial-scale activities represent major direct long-term threats to the forests. By contrast, the traditional livelihood strategies of indigenous and local communities show a capacity to coexist with forests sustainably. Land tenure has evolved in the […]
The Pygmy Mimic
The Pygmy mimic is an extremely persistent colonial trope that continues to inform contemporary anthropological understandings of Africa’s Pygmy populations. Mimicry is now understood as being a key component of the social reproduction of a distinct Pygmy way of being. In this paper, the author examines the historical accounts of mimicry and tries to bring […]
