The recent outbreak of Ebola in West Africa has claimed nearly 1900 lives, with many more projected losses in the coming months. The epidemic is unprecedented in size, complexity and the strain imposed on health systems. Much of the failure to contain the spread of Ebola is due to lack of investment in basic health infrastructure. This forum will explore the political and economic causes of poor health infrastructure in many Sub-Saharan African countries, including those directly impacted by Ebola. It will also consider challenges to health-seeking behavior in resource-poor contexts. The forum brings together scholars from several disciplines whose remarks will initiate the discussion forum.
· Kim Yi Dionne is an assistant professor of government at Smith College. Professor Dionne studies, among other things, the politics surrounding health (particularly HIV/AIDS) in Africa. She has been very visible in the media coverage of Ebola.
· Willa Friedman is an assistant professor of economics at the University of Houston. Part of her research focus is on (often unintended) behavioral changes in response to health systems.
· Marcel Yotebieng is an assistant professor of epidemiology in the OSU College of Public Health who works on infectious diseases and has an interest in health-seeking behavior at the micro level.
The forum is sponsored by The Midwest Working Group in African Political Economy (MGAPE), as part of its 2014 conference at the Ohio State University. Partners include the Department of Political Science, the Office of International Affairs and the Center for African Studies. For additional information contact Dr. Amanda Robinson, Department of Political Science, at Robinson.1012@osu.edu.
