29 Apr Social science an essential component of infectious threat response: Lancet Commentary
A recent article in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal outlines the importance of the new SoNAR Global consortium in efforts to prepare for and respond to infectious disease outbreaks and drug resistance across the globe.
The piece, co-authored by AIGHD’s Prof. Anita Hardon, Prof. Constance Schultsz, Dr. Danny de Vries and Dr. Chris Pell, outlines how the “very social, political, and economic nature” of these infectious threats means that the social sciences are an essential component of any response.
Funded by the European Commission as part of the Horizon 2020 programme, with a goal of maximizing the public health impact of the social sciences, SoNAR Global aims to develop and coordinate expertise in Europe and beyond.
SoNAR-Global is already making an impact through mapping of social science studies of the Ebola outbreak around Noth Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Working closely with the Global Outbreak Alert Response Network–Research Social Sciences, SoNAR-Global provides a visual guide to the location of research in the area. This tool is aimed at policy makers, responders, and funders and will provide easy access to ongoing research and help to identify gaps in response strategies.