A new initiative set to improve the way in which we end global health emergencies has launched to critically examine how endings are determined.

The project, led by the University of Oxford in collaboration with The University of Warwick, is titled “After the End” and was funded by a £9 million grant from the Wellcome Trust.

In the midst of global health crises, governments, scientists, and aid organisations work tirelessly to bring the situation to a close.

For governments, declaring a crisis "over" can be a powerful political statement, while for citizens, it often signifies a hopeful return to normalcy.

However, the rush to declare a clear-cut ending can sometimes lead to premature or delayed declarations, leaving many affected individuals in limbo.

Historically, the notion of an “end” to a crisis has often been arbitrary and inconsistently experienced. For instance, the Ebola outbreak was declared "over" 14 times between 2018 and 2020.

Similarly, despite the World Health Organization's announcement in May 2023 that COVID-19 was no longer a "public health emergency of international concern," the virus continues to circulate, and those suffering from long COVID may never fully recover.

The haste to conclude a crisis can suppress alternative narratives and ignore the social, environmental, political, and epistemic injustices faced by those who are “left behind”.

Professor Sharifah Sekalala from The University of Warwick, a co-investigator of the study, said: “Our goal is to critically assess how the conclusions of global health emergencies are reached and to address the disparities that often emerge during these crucial moments.

By examining the legal, policy, and financial responses to the aftermaths of global health crises and drawing from the lived experiences of people in diverse countries, we aim to develop new legal frameworks that promote equitable and just outcomes for all.”

The “After the End” project will conduct research in the UK, Sierra Leone, Brazil, and China, focusing on the lived experiences of individuals after the official end of global health emergencies.

The project will analyse the legal, social, psychological, ethical, and historical factors that shape these endings. The ultimate objective is to develop new, equitable frameworks for concluding health emergencies, ensuring fairer futures for all affected.

ENDS
Notes to editors: 
To read more on this project, please see: www.aftertheend.squarespace.comLink opens in a new window