International health 2
Track 14
| Sunday, October 29, 2023 |
| 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM |
| Meeting Room C4.6 |
Overview
Session will be between 1400 - 1415 hours
Speaker
Dr Soumyadeep Bhaumik
Head, Meta-research And Evidence Synthesis Unit
The George Institute for Global Health, India
Prioritisation of snakebite in the World Health Organization: policy analysis
2:00 PM - 2:15 PMSummary
Background
Snakebite is a public health problem in many nations. In 2018, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution on snakebite, which was followed in 2019 by World Health Organization (WHO) developing a strategy for addressing its burden. We aimed to understand process of prioritisation of snakebite in the WHO by conducting a policy case-study.
Methods
We conducted in-depth interviews and reviewed documents. We drew on the framework on the emergence and effectiveness of global health network by Schiffman et al.
Results
We analysed transcripts from 20 interviews, 91 documents, and a short movie screened at WHA side event. We identified the pre-crescendo -crescendo-decrescendo-re-crescendo pattern of policy prioritisation of snakebite. Fear and fascination about snakes, enabled the process, while complexities in defining solutions acted as a barrier. A small and homogenous group of academics formed the core group which in re-crescendo phase expanded to include civil society organisations and state actors. This led to better understanding of WHO processes, including the needs for funding and state actor support. The snakebite network used an intersecting and layered framing strategy starting with moralisation, with layers of securitisation and technification.Finding space within the neglected tropical disease community and ebbs and flows in the legitimacy of the snakebite network, are unaddressed policy challenges.
Conclusion
Our analysis identifies two unaddressed policy challenges and implies a fragile placement of the snakebite on the global health agenda. The study provides learnings for networks advocating for other emerging and neglected public health problems.
Snakebite is a public health problem in many nations. In 2018, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution on snakebite, which was followed in 2019 by World Health Organization (WHO) developing a strategy for addressing its burden. We aimed to understand process of prioritisation of snakebite in the WHO by conducting a policy case-study.
Methods
We conducted in-depth interviews and reviewed documents. We drew on the framework on the emergence and effectiveness of global health network by Schiffman et al.
Results
We analysed transcripts from 20 interviews, 91 documents, and a short movie screened at WHA side event. We identified the pre-crescendo -crescendo-decrescendo-re-crescendo pattern of policy prioritisation of snakebite. Fear and fascination about snakes, enabled the process, while complexities in defining solutions acted as a barrier. A small and homogenous group of academics formed the core group which in re-crescendo phase expanded to include civil society organisations and state actors. This led to better understanding of WHO processes, including the needs for funding and state actor support. The snakebite network used an intersecting and layered framing strategy starting with moralisation, with layers of securitisation and technification.Finding space within the neglected tropical disease community and ebbs and flows in the legitimacy of the snakebite network, are unaddressed policy challenges.
Conclusion
Our analysis identifies two unaddressed policy challenges and implies a fragile placement of the snakebite on the global health agenda. The study provides learnings for networks advocating for other emerging and neglected public health problems.
Takeaways
1. Proponents of snakebite need to re-orient strategy to engage with the neglected tropical disease community.
2. Enhanced focus on community-based programs, strengthening of primary care systems and use of One Health approaches, together with leadership accorded to snakebite endemic nations might be considered as strategies to enhance legitimacy
3. Future analysis of prioritisation process should consider discerning temporal patterns (like the four crescendos, in our case).
2. Enhanced focus on community-based programs, strengthening of primary care systems and use of One Health approaches, together with leadership accorded to snakebite endemic nations might be considered as strategies to enhance legitimacy
3. Future analysis of prioritisation process should consider discerning temporal patterns (like the four crescendos, in our case).
Biography
Soumyadeep Bhaumik is a medical doctor and international public health researcher with a focus on primary healthcare.
