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. 2024 Mar-Apr;22(2):159-166.
doi: 10.1089/hs.2023.0091. Epub 2024 Feb 22.

Advancing Health Security and Disease Eradication Through Peace and Health: A Mali Case Study

Angelia M Sanders  1 , Madeline Warman  2 , Frederic Deycard  3 , John Goodman  4 , April Klein  5 , Karmen Unterwegner  6 , Boukary Sangare  7 , Sadi Moussa  8 , Stacia George  9 , Irene Pujol Chica  10 , Cheick Oumar Coulibaly  11 , Moussa Saye  12 , Kimberly A Jensen  13 , Adam J Weiss  14 , Kashef Ijaz  15
Affiliations

Advancing Health Security and Disease Eradication Through Peace and Health: A Mali Case Study

Angelia M Sanders et al. Health Secur. 2024 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Conflict and violence constitute threats to public health. As levels of conflict increase within and between countries, it is important to explore how conflict resolution initiatives can be adapted to meet the health needs of communities, and how addressing the health needs of communities can assist in conflict resolution and contribute to health security. In conflict-affected central Mali, a Peace through Health Initiative, piloted between 2018 and 2022, used conflict resolution trainings, facilitated community meetings, and human and animal health interventions to negotiate "periods of tranquility" to achieve public health goals. Project activities resulted in improved health, improved livelihoods, reduced violence, improved trust among stakeholders, and greater inclusion of community members in peace and health decisionmaking. The Peace-Health Initiative generated several lessons learned related to 3 phases of peace-health programming: preintervention, program development, and implementation. These lessons can be applied to support expanded Peace through Health Initiatives within Mali, may be adaptable to other conflict-afflicted contexts, and should be considered in relation to the implementation of global health security.

Keywords: Conflict resolution; Guinea worm eradication; Health; Mali; One Health; Peace-health.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Ténenkou District, Mopti Region, Mali, 2022.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Peace-Health programming recommendations by phase of implementation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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