When ethics and politics collide in donor-funded global health research

Maternal Mortality from Induced Abortion in Malawi: What Does the Latest Evidence Suggest?

It is commonly claimed that thousands of women die every year from unsafe abortion in Malawi. This commentary critically assesses those claims, demonstrating that these estimates are not supported by the evidence. On the contrary, the latest evidence—itself from 15 to 20 years ago—suggests that 6–7% of maternal deaths in Malawi are attributable to induced and spontaneous abortion combined, totalling approximately 70–150 deaths per year. I then offer some evidence suggesting that a substantial proportion of these are attributable to spontaneous abortion. To reduce maternal mortality by large margins, emergency obstetric care should be prioritised, which will also save women from complications of induced and spontaneous abortion.

Ethical capacity and its challenges in the academy of science: historical continuities and contemporary violence

This reflective essay is inspired by a roundtable discussion at the World Science Forum on the question 'Are there ethical limits to what science can achieve and should pursue?' I argue that, amid the conflicting trends of 'technological utopianism'-extreme faith in technological solutions; and 'post-truth' politics-the populist pushback against the universality of science, the conditions for ethical knowledge production are significantly challenged. Drawing on insights gleaned from my work on political violence, law, and technology, I point to historical continuities in the way the application and pursuit of science relates to violence-especially state violence. Conscious of the fact that science exercises no restraint on violence-and indeed, may be put to work for violent purposes-the paper calls for more attention to the social, structural, and political conditions of scientific production. The final part of this essay, therefore, examines three developments challenging the ethical capacity of scholars and scientists today. These are (1) the bureaucratization of ethics (2), 'ethics washing,' and (3) co-optation. Like other policy domains in our society, informed normative assessments around scientific pursuits-value judgments and ethical evaluation-ought to be based on sound empirical knowledge of the contingencies of science.

The anthropology of health systems: A history and review

Ethnographies of health systems are a theoretically rich and rapidly growing area within medical anthropology. Critical ethnographic work dating back to the 1950s has taken policymakers and health staff as points of entry into the power structures that run through the global health enterprise. In the last decade, there has been a surge of ethnographic work on health systems. We conceptualize the anthropology of health systems as a field; review the history of this body of knowledge; and outline emergent literatures on policymaking, HIV, hospitals, Community Health Workers, health markets, pharmaceuticals, and metrics. High-quality ethnographic work is an excellent way to understand the complex systems that shape health outcomes, and provides a critical vantage point for thinking about global health policy and systems. As theory in this space develops and deepens, we argue that anthropologists should look beyond the discipline to think through what their work does and why it matters.

[Competing ideas on the State's roles in the prevention and control of childhood obesity in Brazil]

The study analyzed competing ideas on the State's roles in the prevention and control of childhood obesity in Brazil, with cognitive analysis of public policies as the frame of reference. The study included document analysis and semi-structured interviews with 20 individuals from government, organized civil society, and the commercial private sector. The State was viewed as the main party responsible for dealing with childhood obesity, but the definitions of its roles varied according to the narratives on the factors that condition obesity and the proposed solutions. Members of the commercial private sector criticized the regulatory State in the name of parents' freedom of choice. Civil society representatives and part of the government defended regulatory measures, which they considered essential. They contended that agreements between government and the food industry to reduce unhealthy ingredients are ineffective. However, some government representatives defended such agreements. These tensions and contradictions were also expressed in the policy documents acknowledging that practices by the commercial private sector favor obesity, even while considering the private sector a partner in this process. The arguments against the regulatory State were based on individual factors conditioning obesity, but the object of regulation is institutional practices by the commercial private sector, not individual behaviors. However, this kind of argument is part of corporate policy activity, since it overlooks the conflicts of interests that have contributed to delaying the reduction in obesity prevalence.

Anopheles bionomics, insecticide resistance and malaria transmission in southwest Burkina Faso: A pre-intervention study

Background

Twenty-seven villages were selected in southwest Burkina Faso to implement new vector control strategies in addition to long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) through a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). We conducted entomological surveys in the villages during the dry cold season (January 2017), dry hot season (March 2017) and rainy season (June 2017) to describe malaria vectors bionomics, insecticide resistance and transmission prior to this trial.

Methods

We carried out hourly catches (from 17:00 to 09:00) inside and outside 4 houses in each village using the Human Landing Catch technique. Mosquitoes were identified using morphological taxonomic keys. Specimens belonging to the Anopheles gambiae complex and Anopheles funestus group were identified using molecular techniques as well as detection of Plasmodium falciparum infection and insecticide resistance target-site mutations.

Results

Eight Anopheles species were detected in the area. Anopheles funestus s.s was the main vector during the dry cold season. It was replaced by Anopheles coluzzii during the dry hot season whereas An. coluzzii and An. gambiae s.s. were the dominant species during the rainy season. Species composition of the Anopheles population varied significantly among seasons. All insecticide resistance mechanisms (kdr-w, kdr-e and ace-1 target site mutations) investigated were found in each members of the An. gambiae complex but at different frequencies. We observed early and late biting phenotypes in the main malaria vector species. Entomological inoculation rates were 2.61, 2.67 and 11.25 infected bites per human per month during dry cold season, dry hot season and rainy season, respectively.

Conclusion

The entomological indicators of malaria transmission were high despite the universal coverage with LLINs. We detected early and late biting phenotypes in the main malaria vector species as well as physiological insecticide resistance mechanisms. These data will be used to evaluate the impact of complementary tools to LLINs in an upcoming RCT.

Hepatitis C Virus Epidemiology and the Impact of Interferon-Free Hepatitis C Virus Therapy

The public health impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been realized only recently. Globally, 71 million people are living with HCV chronic infection. HCV prevalence is higher in some regions and countries, as well as in some subpopulations such as people who inject drugs, prisoners, or people living with HIV. In 2017, an estimated 580,000 people died from HCV, largely because of long-term complications of the disease. The advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), which are highly effective in treating the infection and are well tolerated, led the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2016 to call for the elimination of HCV by 2030, which would be possible by meeting the numerical targets laid down by the organization. However, at present, only 12 countries are on track. Overall, only 20% of people with HCV have been diagnosed and only 7% of people diagnosed have initiated treatment, with major differences among countries. Underdiagnoses, a general lack of awareness, poor surveillance, and the prices of diagnostics and treatment remain major barriers to achieving the elimination goals. Comprehensive strategies, which include innovative models of care and the removal of reimbursement restrictions for treatment, are needed to overcome these public health and health system obstacles.

Autonomy, Evidence and Methods in Global Health

This chapter discusses the growing impact that funding bodies have on the design, delivery and evaluation of global health interventions with specific emphasis on the UK’s Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship (CwPAMS) funding programme. It explains the reasons for focusing the antimicrobial resistance intervention on maternal sepsis and describes the context within which the Maternal Sepsis Intervention took place; in a Regional Referral Hospital in Western Uganda.