African civil society initiatives to drive a biobanking, biosecurity and infrastructure development agenda in the wake of the West African Ebola outbreak.
This paper describes the formation of a civil society consortium, spurred to action by frustration over the Ebola crises, to facilitate the development of infrastructure and frameworks including policy development to support a harmonized, African approach to health crises on the continent. The Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium, or GET, is an important example of how African academics, scientists, clinicians and civil society have come together to initiate policy research, multilevel advocacy and implementation of initiatives aimed at building African capacity for timely and effective mitigations strategies against emerging infectious and neglected pathogens, with a focus on biobanking and biosecurity. The consortium has been able to establish it self as a leading voice, drawing attention to scientific infrastructure gaps, the importance of cultural sensitivities, and the power of community engagement. The GET consortium demonstrates how civil society can work together, encourage government engagement and strengthen national and regional efforts to build capacity.
Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium (GET), Division of Haematology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stelenbosch University and the National Health Laboratory Service of South Africa, Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
Akin
A
Abayomi
Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium (GET), College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone.
Sahr
S
Gevao
Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium (GET), Physio-Fitness rehabilitation Centre, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Brian
B
Conton
Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium (GET), Integrated Systems Engineering Srl, Milan, Italy.
Pasquale
P
Deblasio
Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.
Rebecca
R
Katz
D000349:Africa; D000354:Africa, Western / Q000453:epidemiology; D018070:Biological Specimen Banks; D057191:Capacity Building / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making
Biobanking; biosecurity; consortia; infrastructure