China Archives - Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform

Early Response to the Emergence of Influenza A(H7N9) Virus in Humans in China: The Central Role of Prompt Information Sharing and Public Communication

In 2003, China’s handling of the early stages of the epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was heavily criticized and generally considered to be suboptimal. Following the SARS outbreak, China made huge investments to improve surveillance, emergency preparedness and response capacity and strengthen public health institutions. In 2013, the return on these investments was evaluated by investigating China’s early response to the emergence of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in humans.
The relevant infrastructures, surveillance systems and response capacity need to be strengthened in preparation for future emergencies caused by emerging or existing disease threats. Results of risk assessments and other data should be released promptly and publicly and such release should not jeopardize future publication of the data in scientific journals. Coordination between public health and veterinary services would be stronger during an emergency if these services had already undertaken joint preparedness planning.

Famine in the Twentieth Century

Background Reports

More than 70 million people died in famines during the 20th century. This paper compiles excess mortality estimates from over 30 major famines and assess the success of some parts of the world – China, the Soviet Union, and more recently India and Bangladesh – in apparently eradicating mass mortality food crises. This is contrastes with the experience of sub-Saharan Africa where famines precipitated by adverse synergies between natural triggers (drought) and political crisis (civil wars) have become endemic since the late 1960s.
The paper also examines the evolving discourse around famine causation during the century, and finds that despite the proliferation of demographic, economic and political theories, each embodies the reductionist perspective of disciplinary specialisation. The paper concludes by arguing that if famine is to be completely eradicated during the 21st century this requires not just technical (food production and distribution) capacity but substantially more political will,