“The optimist is someone who believes the future is uncertain.” Leo Szilard When I first studied epidemiology several decades ago, a story made the rounds that was supposed…
How to prevent epidemics: an optimist’s blog
Ebola: identifying the true game-changers
Compared to this time last year, news about Ebola is hugely more encouraging. Although not over, the number of new cases per week tends to be in single figures instead…
Reports on climate change and health forecast gloomy future but ‘no-regret’ options may save the day
Ever since climate change became an issue of concern there have been questions about the possible impacts on health. This month, two landmark reports have been released, both of which…
Addressing Resistance to Antibiotics
There is growing international concern about the threat to public health of the emergence and spread of bacteria resistant to existing antibiotics. An effective response must invest in both the…
A new tool to prepare for zoonotic surprise
A new website from the STEPS-led Dynamic Drivers of Disease in Africa Consortium illustrates how scenarios modelling can provide a new and vital new tool in the global health community’s toolkit….
Watch video: ‘India’s Risks’ book launch
You can now watch video of the launch event of the book ‘India’s Risks: Democratizing the Management of Threats to Environment, Health and Values’. The video features contributions from Professor…
Major new research project on animal-to-human disease transmission
The ESRC STEPS Centre has begun work on a major, international research project exploring the factors that drive animal-to-human (‘zoonotic’) disease transmission in Tanzania, with the aim of informing new…
Melissa Leach on Ebola & inequality – lecture text & audio
Some materials are now available from the recent Sussex Development Lecture on Equality, Sustainability, Security: Interlaced challenges in a global development era by former STEPS Director Melissa Leach. The text…
Ebola: difficult questions for development
As the horrific Ebola crisis unfolds across West Africa, and the international community belatedly responds, there are some bigger questions that arise beyond the immediate challenges on the ground. These…
Complex Adaptive Systems & health: new resources
In June 2014, Future Health Systems (FHS) and the STEPS Centre co-hosted a workshop exploring Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) approaches to health systems strengthening in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). FHS…