Utafiti Wellness | Research Agenda

OUR APPROACH

Research that answers real-world questions

UWRA's research agenda is shaped by the most pressing health challenges facing African communities. We prioritize implementation science, community engagement, and knowledge translation to ensure our findings lead to measurable improvements in health outcomes.

Our work is guided by the principles of equity, collaboration, and scientific excellence. We partner with governments, universities, and communities to co-design research that is relevant, ethical, and actionable.

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Guiding Philosophy

"Research should not remain inside journals. It must reach communities, inform policy, and transform health systems."

— UWRA Evidence to Action Framework

PRIORITY AREAS

Strategic research themes

Our research is organized around six interconnected themes that reflect Africa's health priorities.

Health Systems Strengthening

Research on governance, financing, workforce, and service delivery to build resilient health systems that achieve universal health coverage.

Maternal & Child Health

Generating evidence to reduce preventable maternal and child mortality, improve antenatal care, and promote early childhood development.

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Advancing research on integrated mental health care, community-based psychosocial support, and the social determinants of mental health.

Non-Communicable Diseases

Investigating prevention, screening, and management of NCDs including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer in African settings.

Climate & Health

Examining the health impacts of climate change and developing evidence-based adaptation strategies for vulnerable populations.

Implementation Science

Studying how to translate evidence into practice, scale effective interventions, and sustain health improvements in complex systems.

INTEGRATED APPROACH

Cross-cutting priorities

These institutional commitments are embedded across all our research themes.

Digital Health

Leveraging technology to improve data collection, decision-making, and service delivery.

Gender Equity

Ensuring that research addresses gender disparities and promotes women's health and leadership.

Youth Engagement

Involving young people as partners in research and as agents of health change.

Community Co-design

Working with communities to identify priorities, design studies, and interpret findings.

Research Agenda