Abstract
A growing body of literature has noted the challenges faced by public health practitioners in promoting prevention and outbreak control measures during disease outbreaks in regions of Sub-Saharan Africa impacted by militarized conflict and large-scale population displacement. Distrust of government authorities, misinformation, and limits to the capacity of non-state actors have contributed to a decreased likelihood of the adoption of precautionary measures by local and migrant populations alike. This paper draws upon these findings as a starting point for defining what constitutes legitimate authority in the eyes of both migrant populations and local actors, including government officials, rebel groups, religious leaders, and the general population. Rather than place explanatory emphasis on the possible shortcomings of public health practitioners, I instead shift our focus to recipient populations and ask what legitimate authority looks like from the perspective of these different groups and how health care interventions may be tailored to more closely fit these understandings.
Presenters
Aleksandra ThurmanStudent, Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN), Yale University, Connecticut, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2024 Special Focus—The World on the Move: Understanding Migration in a New Global Age
KEYWORDS
HEALTHCARE, MIGRATION, GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY, LEGITIMACY, AUTHORITY, SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
