Understanding and Changing the Power Dynamics of Disaster Creation and Mitigation in Pandemic Response
The practice of securitisation against such far reaching disasters are increasingly reliant on the intensification of surveillance and the rapid sharing of data. Readiness in the face of pandemic threat is often tested against a cycle of scenario modelling and simulation exercises, each leading to more modelling and simulations.
The focus of pandemic threat response and investment remains also largely centred around technical and individual fixes, especially pharmaceutical innovations, like vaccines, antivirals and rapid diagnostics. It does not sufficiently consider disaster root causes and risk creation processes, especially where these may be anthropogenic, for example those stemming from our agri-food systems.
Despite many attempts at WHO-level to draw attention to the One Health approach, which highlights the interdependencies between animal health, human health and the environment, the prevailing disaster practice cements the status quo of dealing with these domains and their risks in isolation. Yet, we are increasingly fighting outbreaks that are insect-born, carried by mosquitos that, due to the rising temperatures and effects of climate change, extend their habitats to new regions, carrying Zika or Dengue to areas previously free of these diseases. Alongside various forms of environmental depletion, human practices that create or intensify pandemic risks also include deforestation, monoculture and intensive agriculture, rapid urbanisation, poor or lacking sanitation. Inadequate animal husbandry can also result in misuse of medication in animal rearing, which increases risk of pathogens becoming resistant to known antibiotics.
A different and participatory approach to understanding the power dynamics of disaster creation and response is needed to overcome policy responses which are not conducive to socio-environmental reflection, nor to the transformations that would reduce the risks of future crises.