Publics of Public Health Conference, Kenya, 7-11th December 2009

This conference reflected on the diverse and changing
notions of ‘the public’, in relation to the production of medical
knowledge and health in contemporary Africa.

It was organised by our colleagues at the ESRC STEPS Centre along with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Department of History, University of Nairobi and KEMRI/Wellcome Trust Programme; African Studies Centre, Cambridge University, and British Institute in Eastern Africa (Nairobi).

This conference grew from the observation that the
relationship between medical science and the public – in
terms of ideas and intentions, as well as institutional realities
– has changed in recent decades, along with changes in
government and health.

In her blog from the conference IDS's Professor Melissa Leach explains how, 'These departures have been stark indeed. We have seen the rise of neoliberal, marketised and privatised forms of health provision, constructing publics in far more individualised ways - often as consumers. We have seen the rise of global health architectures and financing, often with dubious forms of accountability linked to new eras of philanthropic and philanthrocapitalist funding. And we have seen the rise (and fall) of focused research and policy on particular diseases, with 'vertical' architectures, funding flows and notions of 'predicament publics' emerging accordingly.'

The conference offered an opportunity to learn more about the interplay of narratives and pathways of public health - and the often highly unequal material consequences that follow.

Read the conference agenda (pdf).

For further information about the conference see the dedicated pages on the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicines website.