Unexpected agency: participation as a bargaining chip for the poor.

Populations in the developing world that are targeted for disease eradication programs are commonly seen as passive recipients of international aid. Poor people can, however, "participate" in these interventions in unexpected ways. In the absence of traditional sources of leverage, some marginalized people have used their one remaining form of influence--their noncompliance in public health initiatives--to articulate a higher priority need and to assert their basic human rights to food and primary health care. Vertical international health initiatives whose goals are to eradicate and control diseases may be forced to contend with this phenomenon. The success of these interventions will hinge upon ensuring that the basic human rights of the target populations are addressed.

Observations from a live bird market in Indonesia following a contained outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1).

Live bird markets are considered high-risk environments facilitating viral transfer and replication of influenza A H5N1. In Indonesia, these markets have been the source for multiple human infections of H5N1 resulting in death, and thus have been the focus of government-led interventions. This paper examines the aftermath of an intervention in one market in Bali, Indonesia. It highlights the social and economic factors influencing the adoption of risk prevention behaviour and concludes by arguing for further qualitative research to understand why at-risk individuals fail to adopt biosecurity measures, even after recently experiencing an outbreak of avian influenza.