As history tells us, economic development is typically identified as the driver of regional integration. Efforts to bring countries in one region together have been going on for several decades and both, experience and theory, encourage the potential of economic development for regional cooperation. The European Union is the prime example: the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952 was the basis for a common market for these resources and this idea of free movement was transferred to all goods, services, capital and labour in the subsequent decades.
Parallel to that, the development of global regimes, such as the World Trade Organizations’ legal framework, stimulated developing countries to form their own regional organizations in order to keep up with trade liberalization.
Table of Contents
1. Literature Review
2. Essay
2.1 Regional integration in West Africa
2.2 The West African Ebola virus epidemic
2.3 Barriers to an integrated health policy in West Africa
2.4 Benefits of an integrated health policy in West Africa
2.5 The right way forward for West African health policy
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary research objective is to examine whether the Ebola epidemic in West Africa acts as a catalyst for deeper regional integration, specifically focusing on the potential for health policy to serve as a driver for broader regional cooperation. The paper investigates the institutional, technical, and political obstacles that currently hinder a harmonized health policy within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
- The intersection of regionalism and social policy in West Africa.
- The impact of the West African Ebola virus epidemic on regional health governance.
- Institutional and structural barriers to cross-border health integration.
- Potential benefits of health policy harmonization, including improved epidemic response and economies of scale.
Excerpt from the Publication
The West African Ebola virus epidemic
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak was “the most severe, acute health emergency seen in modern times” (World Health Organization, 2014b) with 30,000 persons being infected and more than 11,000 deaths (World Health Organization, 2016). In 2014 Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria officially declared a state of emergency. Different factors were responsible for the severe evolution of the epidemic, among them the lacking medical infrastructure after years of civil war and the late detection of the virus, which was previously neglected due to the overarching problem of HIV/AIDS in West Africa (Badenschier, 2015). The WHO identified further critical points. The national health systems of the concerned countries were ill equipped to deal with the outbreak, especially with view on their personnel, their financial and technical resources (WHO, 2014c). Infected persons used taxis to make their way to hospitals because ambulances were not available. There was no disinfection of the cars, so taxis evolved into “hot spots” of infection (WHO, 2014d). There was a lack of knowledge in the civil society on how to behave correctly in terms of transmission routes of the virus, etc. (WHO, 2014d). Large parts of the medical personnel were infected, mainly due to insufficient hygiene measures (WHO, 2014d).
Summary of Chapters
Literature Review: This section assesses existing academic discourse on regional social policy, highlighting that while regionalism is well-studied in Latin America and other regions, there is a distinct research gap regarding health policy integration in West Africa.
Essay: The core essay explores the evolution of regional integration in West Africa, detailing how security-focused regional organizations like ECOWAS are increasingly challenged by health crises and the need for social policy harmonization.
Regional integration in West Africa: This chapter contextualizes regionalism within the West African framework, discussing the transition from purely economic and security-based integration to the urgent need for social and health sector cooperation.
The West African Ebola virus epidemic: This chapter analyzes the scale and impact of the Ebola crisis, identifying it as a critical turning point that exposed the fragility of national health systems and the inadequacy of regional response mechanisms.
Barriers to an integrated health policy in West Africa: This section identifies systemic obstacles to integration, including human resource crises, disparate national health structures, institutional weaknesses within ECOWAS, and insufficient funding.
Benefits of an integrated health policy in West Africa: This chapter outlines the potential advantages of a harmonized health policy, such as improved resource pooling, standardized medical training, and stronger bargaining power in global health diplomacy.
The right way forward for West African health policy: This concluding chapter synthesizes findings, arguing that regional actors must move beyond security-centric models and leverage the lessons of the Ebola crisis to build robust, regional health infrastructure.
Keywords
Regional Integration, West Africa, ECOWAS, Ebola, Health Policy, Public Policy, Social Policy, Health Diplomacy, Epidemic, Health System Harmonization, Regionalism, Global Health, Human Security, Institutional Weakness, Disease Prevention.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The paper focuses on the role of health policy as a potential driver for deeper regional integration within West African states, particularly in the context of the ECOWAS framework.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The core themes include regionalism, the social dimension of regional integration, health governance, and the response of regional organizations to public health emergencies.
What is the central research question?
The research asks whether the Ebola epidemic acted as a turning point for regional integration in West Africa and if health policy can function as a driving force for stronger regional cooperation.
Which methodology is applied?
The author uses a qualitative literature review approach, analyzing scholarly articles, working papers, and reports from international organizations to evaluate the current state of regional health policy.
What aspects does the main section cover?
The main body covers the history of regional integration in West Africa, the specific failures exposed by the Ebola virus, the obstacles to building a unified health system, and the comparative benefits of successful integration models from other regions.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Regional Integration, ECOWAS, Health Policy, Ebola, Health Diplomacy, and Social Policy.
Why are national health systems in West Africa considered insufficient?
They are described as having serious weaknesses, including a lack of medical personnel (brain drain), corruption, insufficient training, and a lack of standardized regulatory norms inherited from diverse colonial structures.
What role does the Ebola crisis play in the argument?
The Ebola crisis serves as a case study that reveals the insufficiency of existing regional and national health structures and highlights the urgent necessity for better regional coordination and institutional reform.
- Quote paper
- Anna-Lena Prüser (Author), 2018, Health Policy in Regional Organizations. A Driver for More Integration in West Africa?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/445278
