Structuring SSH within the Pasteur Network for epidemic response: setting up an African network of social scientists

Addressing complex global health challenges such as epidemic preparedness, environmental impacts, and equitable healthcare access requires collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts. Social sciences and humanities (SSH) play a crucial role in understanding the historical and social contexts of disease outbreaks and in shaping strategies and guidelines informed by lessons from past epidemics. Qualitative methods, central to SSH, offer valuable insights by uncovering real-world practices, social dynamics, and power structures that often remain invisible to quantitative approaches. Effective interdisciplinarity depends on strong leadership, shared vision, clear role definitions, and dedicated time for collaboration. However, these elements are often overlooked, limiting the integration of social sciences and the development of comprehensive solutions during epidemic responses. Here we share the experience of establishing SSH within the Pasteur Network members institutions in Africa and the creation of a dedicated social science network called the African SSH Pasteur Network. We describe the process of building this network to meet growing demands for SSH expertise in health research programmes and discuss the challenges encountered and strategies employed to sustain its development.