We cannot repeat history again: a call to action to centre indigenous leadership as we prepare for the next pandemic

Kristy Crooks; Fatima Ahmed; Eric N. Liberda; Peter D. Massey; Kylie Taylor; Elizabeth Harwood; Celine Sutherland; Gisele Kataquapit; Katrina Clark; Nicholas D. Spence; Robert J. Moriarity; Hannah Briggs; Leonard J.S. Tsuji; Nadia A. Charania

doi:10.1186/s12939-025-02387-5

We cannot repeat history again: a call to action to centre indigenous leadership as we prepare for the next pandemic

Kristy Crooks, Fatima Ahmed, Eric N. Liberda, Peter D. Massey, Kylie Taylor, Elizabeth Harwood, Celine Sutherland, Gisele Kataquapit, Katrina Clark, Nicholas D. Spence, Robert J. Moriarity, Hannah Briggs, Leonard J.S. Tsuji, Nadia A. Charania

Menzies School of Health Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

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Abstract

Indigenous communities worldwide continue to disproportionately bear the burden during pandemics due to ongoing health inequities and systemic exclusion from pandemic decision-making processes. As the global community prepares for the next pandemic, it is critical to prioritise Indigenous leadership and governance within public health responses. This commentary highlights successful models of Indigenous-led pandemic responses during COVID-19 in Canada and Australia. It introduces the EPIC (Equity, Partnerships, Intelligences, and Change) framework, that emphasises equity, leadership and local and cultural intelligence as critical components to improve pandemic preparedness and response for Indigenous communities. This international collaboration calls on governments and health authorities to uphold Indigenous sovereignty, self-determination, and leadership in pandemic planning and response efforts.

Original language	English
Article number	24
Pages (from-to)	1-6
Number of pages	6
Journal	International Journal for Equity in Health
Volume	24
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02387-5
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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124854525-oaFinal published version, 1.05 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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Crooks, K., Ahmed, F., Liberda, E. N., Massey, P. D., Taylor, K., Harwood, E., Sutherland, C., Kataquapit, G., Clark, K., Spence, N. D., Moriarity, R. J., Briggs, H., Tsuji, L. J. S., & Charania, N. A. (2025). We cannot repeat history again: a call to action to centre indigenous leadership as we prepare for the next pandemic. International Journal for Equity in Health, 24(1), 1-6. Article 24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02387-5

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abstract = "Indigenous communities worldwide continue to disproportionately bear the burden during pandemics due to ongoing health inequities and systemic exclusion from pandemic decision-making processes. As the global community prepares for the next pandemic, it is critical to prioritise Indigenous leadership and governance within public health responses. This commentary highlights successful models of Indigenous-led pandemic responses during COVID-19 in Canada and Australia. It introduces the EPIC (Equity, Partnerships, Intelligences, and Change) framework, that emphasises equity, leadership and local and cultural intelligence as critical components to improve pandemic preparedness and response for Indigenous communities. This international collaboration calls on governments and health authorities to uphold Indigenous sovereignty, self-determination, and leadership in pandemic planning and response efforts.",

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month = dec,

doi = "10.1186/s12939-025-02387-5",

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Crooks, K, Ahmed, F, Liberda, EN, Massey, PD, Taylor, K, Harwood, E, Sutherland, C, Kataquapit, G, Clark, K, Spence, ND, Moriarity, RJ, Briggs, H, Tsuji, LJS & Charania, NA 2025, 'We cannot repeat history again: a call to action to centre indigenous leadership as we prepare for the next pandemic', International Journal for Equity in Health, vol. 24, no. 1, 24, pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02387-5

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AU - Harwood, Elizabeth

AU - Sutherland, Celine

AU - Kataquapit, Gisele

AU - Clark, Katrina

AU - Spence, Nicholas D.

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AB - Indigenous communities worldwide continue to disproportionately bear the burden during pandemics due to ongoing health inequities and systemic exclusion from pandemic decision-making processes. As the global community prepares for the next pandemic, it is critical to prioritise Indigenous leadership and governance within public health responses. This commentary highlights successful models of Indigenous-led pandemic responses during COVID-19 in Canada and Australia. It introduces the EPIC (Equity, Partnerships, Intelligences, and Change) framework, that emphasises equity, leadership and local and cultural intelligence as critical components to improve pandemic preparedness and response for Indigenous communities. This international collaboration calls on governments and health authorities to uphold Indigenous sovereignty, self-determination, and leadership in pandemic planning and response efforts.

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We cannot repeat history again: a call to action to centre indigenous leadership as we prepare for the next pandemic

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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