In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic. In response to the rapid and global spread of the disease, different countries instated different kinds of measures in...Show moreIn March 2020, the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic. In response to the rapid and global spread of the disease, different countries instated different kinds of measures in different degrees, that of course triggered different outcomes. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the first case of COVD-19 was reported on February 27th of 2020 in Nigeria, and it did not take long before it spread all across the region. Despite the general challenges that the region faces in context of containing public health emergencies – relating to lack of resources and state-capacity, low accessibility of health services, poverty and a large informal sector - national responses too differed vastly. Uganda, for example, is a country often praised for its response.This stands in stark contrast with the response of neighboring country Tanzania, whose approach was characterized by simplification, denialism and dismissal of the pandemic. This thesis yields an explanation for delayed national COVID-19 responses by first comparing the cases of Tanzania and Uganda, and then taking an in-depth look at Tanzania's delayed COVID-19 response. The argument holds that, in Tanzania, contemporary political and institutional factors should be taken into account together with the post-independence, historical legacy of the ruling CCM party. It makes use of critical juncture theory and the concept of medical populism to illustrate the opening up of political-space in light of the 2020 Tanzanian Presidential elections. Further research might focus on other enablers of populism in Sub-Saharan Africa, as manifestations of populism remain under-researched there. For example, (lack of) economic development has been identified as a global cause for populism. Although this was not the case for Tanzania specifically, it might play a role elsewhere in the region.Show less
There is increasing evidence for the negative effect of external aid programs on public health. Accordingly, it is essential to research how donors could effectively allocate their aid. It is...Show moreThere is increasing evidence for the negative effect of external aid programs on public health. Accordingly, it is essential to research how donors could effectively allocate their aid. It is established that institution-building in the health sector is crucial for enhancing public health, for example by fostering accountability and transparency. Aid that is spent on institution-building is expected to have a positive effect on public health. However, there is no empirical evidence for that, and therefore, this research contributes to the existing literature by answering the following research question: What is the effect of aid targeting institution building in the health sector on public health outcomes? Several linear regressions are performed to test the effect of Official Development Assistance for institution-building in the health sector on infant mortality, life expectancy, and immunization rates. The overall research findings show a positive, but small and insignificant relationship between health institutional aid and public health.Show less
The global HIV/AIDS response has been under threat. Progress has been faltering and resources have been shrinking due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. HIV-testing is the first step...Show moreThe global HIV/AIDS response has been under threat. Progress has been faltering and resources have been shrinking due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. HIV-testing is the first step in fighting the AIDS epidemic and governments play a large role here. This study tests with a linear regression whether a socially conservative government influences HIV-testing rates, controlling for GDP, state religion, region, HIV-prevalence, and democracy. The results find that having a socially conservative government has a negative effect on HIV-testing rates. A case study of Brazil corroborates this finding and shows that the socially conservative government has lowered demand for HIV-testing by reinforcing HIV-related stigma and discrimination. It is concluded that to end the AIDS epidemic we need to tackle the inequalities that perpetuate it. This thesis finishes by making recommendations such as the use of self-tests and community-led testing to reduce stigma.Show less
Intimate partner violence is a major public health issue worldwide. New Latin American democracies in search of legitimacy attempted to tackle it through aspirational laws confronting gender norms,...Show moreIntimate partner violence is a major public health issue worldwide. New Latin American democracies in search of legitimacy attempted to tackle it through aspirational laws confronting gender norms, but studies on their empirical impact are lacking. Strategies focused on the criminal justice system to protect and empower women have been criticized by critical feminists for entrenching the patriarchal status quo. The findings of this paper back their concerns as criminal code reforms in Mexico are not associated with lower levels of intimate partner violence. Both the inappropriate design of the law and its lack of enforcement contribute to making the law a dead letter. I use the array of adoption of criminal code reforms in Mexican states to conduct a difference-in-differences statistical analysis. I then compare two states through a qualitative analysis to investigate causes behind the law’s lack of impact.Show less
Malaria forms a severe health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Various attempts have been made to combat the disease, but none have succeeded. To understand why this is the case, it is essential to...Show moreMalaria forms a severe health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Various attempts have been made to combat the disease, but none have succeeded. To understand why this is the case, it is essential to research what political factors can contribute to eradicating malaria. Previous research has claimed that democracy has a positive influence on health outcomes. Nevertheless, very little is known about the causality between democracy and its influence on malaria. This thesis aims to close this gap by answering the following research question: Are democracies better at handling malaria than non-democracies? Several linear regressions are done to test different democratic mechanisms, following the electoral accountability-, public goods- and political trust theory. The overall research findings show a positive but small and insignificant effect on the influence of democracy on malaria. Thus, this thesis does not provide evidence that suggests that democracies are better at handling malaria compared to non-democracies.Show less
