Humanitarian response to Ebola outbreak slow, fragmented
November 20, 2014 -- The humanitarian response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has been fraught with challenges, according to Michael VanRooyen, director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and professor in the Department of Global Health and…
Ebola epidemic could lead to broader humanitarian crisis
The rush to halt the spread of Ebola in West Africa is not only about saving lives, it’s also about keeping the epidemic from growing into a broader humanitarian crisis, according to a Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) panel…
Ebola outbreak: African officials join Harvard experts to strategize
Harvard-affiliated experts in humanitarian disaster response recently met with officials from African countries affected by the current Ebola outbreak to discuss strategies for easing the crisis. Convened by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, the August 14, 2014 session, held…
Ebola epidemic in U.S. unlikely
While Ebola continues to spread in West Africa, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials call the risk of an outbreak in the United States very low. Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) Professor Michael VanRooyen, director…
Experts share global health stories
December 6, 2013 -- A dozen experts discussed health care challenges ranging from delivering humanitarian aid to making surgery safer at a wide-ranging Global Health Summit that drew about 500 to Harvard Medical School’s Joseph B. Martin Conference…
Bringing aid to the world's most dangerous places
[Fall 2013 Centennial issue] January 1992. The scene in Mogadishu was as close as it comes to hell on earth. As Somalia’s civil war gathered force, “the fighting was a combination of direct slaughter and indiscriminate firing of…
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative: Transforming humanitarian relief efforts
August 2013 -- Humanitarian crises include conflicts and natural disasters that threaten civilian populations. Meeting the essential needs of these populations requires understanding crisis, and the best methods and tools for preparing and responding to crisis. Director Michael…
Satellite imagery-based report on Sudan conflict reveals scope of destruction
A new study on the ongoing conflict in Sudan—combining satellite imagery, public reports, and online videos—reveals that the scope of the intentional destruction of apparent civilian dwellings and other structures, primarily by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), is…
HSPH alumni and faculty part of Boston Marathon tragedy response
Harvard School of Public Health-affiliated physicians were among the hospital emergency department staff called upon to care for victims of the explosions at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. Stephanie Kayden, MPH ’06, was the senior physician…
Can doing good be done better?
[ Spring/Summer 2012 ] Better-trained aid workers, closer coordination among relief agencies, and a bigger dose of humility while working in unfamiliar cultures would help ensure that the billions of dollars spent each year on humanitarian assistance are…
