Amref Health Africa and AMIU Forge Groundbreaking Partnership to Drive Health Research and Policy Change Across Africa

At the Amref International University (AMIU) 5^th graduation ceremony held on 19^th July 2024, Amref Health Africa and AMIU launched a groundbreaking consortium partnership aimed at advancing evidence generation and dissemination. This collaboration will further strengthen outcomes and policy translation across Amref country offices, AMIU, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) units, civil society partners, and health systems strengthening initiatives.

Funded by a health system strengthening institutionalisation grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this partnership seeks to bolster and expand Amref’s institutional capacity, enabling the organisation to more effectively deliver its mission of advancing people-centred health systems across Africa.

In his opening remarks, Dr Olatubosun Akinola, Director of Health Financing at Amref Health Africa, stated, “Today, we are pleased to launch this pioneering partnership between the university and the Amref Health System Strengthening Directorate. This initiative will sponsor 20 dynamic scholars who will lead cutting-edge research in primary health care, reproductive maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, neglected tropical diseases, health financing, socialdeterminants of health, and global health security.

This collaboration leverages Amref’s 67 years of experience and the university’s research expertise to strengthen evidence generation and dissemination. By co-creating and partnering, the consortium will produce locally relevant evidence that drives policy action and translation. The initiative is set to impact over 20 million people across six countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, South Sudan, and Senegal. 

One of the first beneficiaries of the grant, Shadrack Owuma, a student in the Master of Public Health programme, shared his thoughts: “As a student, I have witnessed first-hand the challenges and opportunities within our health systems. The knowledge and skills we gain in the classroom are invaluable, but it is through research and practical experience that we can truly transform these insights into meaningful change. This grant not only provides financial support but also empowers us to engage in high-quality research that can inform policy decisions and improve health outcomes in our communities. It is an investment in our potential to become leaders and change-makers in the health sector.”

Shadrack Owuma further encouraged all students to seize this opportunity with dedication and passion, inspiring them to work together to produce research that not only advances academic goals but also has a tangible impact on the health and well-being of our communities.

The initiative adopts a collaborative and co-creation approach to research, working closely with Amref country offices and the MEL unit at headquarters to jointly execute Amref learning agenda. To support localisation, various stakeholders in the health sector, including civil society organisations (CSOs), will be onboarded. The CSOs will play a key role in stakeholder engagement and data collection, and will also benefit from capacity strengthening in evidence generation and dissemination. Media and implementing partners will be involved in disseminating knowledge products through policy dialogues, storytelling, and social media, building an ecosystem of partners who collaborate to co-create quality research outputs that enhance policy translation.

In his closing remarks, Dr Josephat Nyagero, Dean of the School of Public Health at Amref International University, emphasised, “Research is a central and indispensable component of improving health. This partnership is poised to amplify our efforts, augmenting quality health service delivery and impact across the board.”

For more information on such programmes and courses offered at the university, visit www.amref.ac.ke