The intersection between international developments and health is complex and multidimensional. Development initiatives, such as building roads, can enhance access to healthcare, education and markets, yet may also increase risks such as accidents and disease transmission. In Liberia, we investigate factors contributing to maternal and neonatal mortality through policy analysis and community perspectives. Our Master\u2019s in International Health and Tropical Medicine aims to foster effective solutions and capacity building in global health leadership.
\n \n\n \n \nIn both high- and low-income countries, health systems need to be ready for extreme weather. While sustainability efforts are underway, health systems must cope with events like floods and droughts, which increase healthcare demand and disrupt services. The NEWRISK project in Kenya addresses these challenges, emphasizing resilience and insurance strategies to maintain healthcare access during crises, amid climate change's broad impacts on health systems.
\n \n\n \n \nEthics emphasises fair and equitable actions, particularly important in healthcare. For example, a project on solidarity highlights disparities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution, questioning ethical ideals. Major challenges include health inequalities, radical disagreements, AI responsibility and structural injustice. Our research looks at justice and equity in health interventions, ensuring they reach those in need effectively and timely.
\n \n\n \n \nIDDO is a data platform that facilitates the integration and analysis of individual patient data from diverse studies, uncovering new insights otherwise inaccessible. Through meticulous curation and merging of data, IDDO unearth crucial evidence, such as the impact of malaria treatment on malnourished children, a group usually excluded from trials. This comprehensive approach not only informs better treatment strategies but also identifies gaps in current knowledge, guiding future research directions and potentially transforming healthcare guidelines worldwide.
\n \n\n \n \nFocussing on vaccines for vulnerable populations, the Tropical Immunology Research Group study immune responses in healthy individuals to understand how to protect those with frail immune systems, such as the elderly and diabetics, from bacterial infections like E. coli and Klebsiella. Key goals include identifying immune markers of protection and designing vaccines to prevent deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Addressing antimicrobial resistance is urgent to prevent untreatable future infections.
\n \n\n \n \nHealth Systems Collaborative focuses on improving healthcare delivery for low-income populations in Africa, especially in hospitals in rural areas. The AFRHiCARE project, a collaboration with clinicians, social scientists, and economists in Uganda, Kenya, South Africa and Oxford, examines how hospitals can effectively utilise technologies and innovations. We aim to optimise hospital operations to deliver high-quality care, ensuring essential services for patients in resource-poor settings across Africa.
\n \n\n \n \nInfectious diseases carry a huge impact and developing interventions remains a priority. A recent trial in Southeast Asia aimed at shortening antibiotic treatment for ventilator-associated pneumonia, reducing side effects and the risk of antimicrobial resistance. Collaborations underline the global AMR burden and the need for effective solutions, from improved antibiotics use to novel diagnostics and vaccines, crucial amid rising challenges.
\n \n\n \n \nInfectious diseases research at OUCRU Indonesia addresses prevention, diagnosis and management, focusing on tuberculosis, HIV, COVID-19 and antimicrobial resistance. Participation in the RECOVERY trial contributed to the identification of four treatments for severe COVID-19. Challenges include the need of more research expertise and translating findings into policy. Our goal is to reduce disease burdens through technical and implementation innovations.
\n \n\n \n \nDengue is a global health concern exacerbated by urbanisation and climate change. OUCRU research themes include improving patient monitoring with wearable devices and clinical decision support systems, conducting clinical trials for therapeutics, assessing climate change's impact, and studying immune responses in high-risk groups. Our goal is to enhance early prediction and treatment strategies to improve patient care and health system efficiency.
\n \n\n \n \nOUCRU Hanoi runs a research program on antimicrobial resistance, focusing on the widespread resistance due to antibiotic overuse. Causing over 1.2 million deaths annually, AMR surpasses many major diseases. Our work includes community intervention trials, hospital stewardship programmes and extensive surveillance projects, aiming to inform and implement effective antibiotic use and policies globally.
\n \n\n \n \nThe primary goal of OUCRU-Nepal is to improve public health in Nepal and South Asia, with focus on typhoid, antimicrobial resistance, and dengue increase linked with climate change. Over the recent years, the TCV typhoid vaccine trial emphasized the importance of regional collaboration and working with policymakers. OUCRU-Nepal has built strong hospital and community relationships, boosting global visibility and collaborations.
\n \n\n \n \nOver 25 years ago, research on malaria vaccine design underlined the lack of first-hand experience of the disease among scientists, and the necessity to build capacity in affected regions. In Kenya, training and support frameworks have empowered over 1,000 budding scientists since 2008, addressing the continent's research capacity gap with strategic partnerships.
\n \n\n \n \nThe KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme focuses on five key thematic areas: vaccines, pathogen biology, population health, clinical research and health systems. Their multidisciplinary approach informs policy and community needs. Impactful recent work spans COVID-19 response, malaria vaccines and clinical guidelines, with future plans addressing emerging global health challenges linked with climate change.
\n \n\n \n \nThe ACORN project gathers clinical, microbiology, and antibiotic use data from nine countries in Asia and Africa to understand the burden and impact of antibiotic resistance on patient treatment and outcomes. It aims to improve direct patient care, generate treatment guidelines, and inform interventions to combat antibiotic resistance globally, ensuring better antibiotics for all.
\n \n\n \n \nGenetic investigations into melioidosis, profiling both bacteria and patients, help understand disease acquisition and outcomes. Furthermore, identifying prevalent harmful bacterial genes supports vaccine development, and the development of CRISPR-Cas-based tests responds to an urgent need for rapid diagnosis that can reduce the detection time to under three hours with higher sensitivity. Applications developed in resource-limited settings show improved global applicability and impact on patients\u2019 outcomes.
\n \n\n \n \nIn biosafety and biosecurity, the recent risk-based approach departs from a rigid one-size-fits-all model. Tailoring safety measures to pathogen and activity levels enhances flexibility, which is vital in resource-limited settings. Systematic reporting of lab incidents globally is lacking, hindering transparency and root cause analysis. Most accidents result from human or procedural errors, highlighting the need for investment in personnel training.
\n \n\n \n \nTo fight antimicrobial resistance, researchers at MORU utilise hospital data to assess global impact and guide interventions. By analysing data, they identify hospitals needing support which enables targeted interventions. Automation and simplification aid data utilization in low-middle-income countries. This approach, bridging implementation and epidemiological research, is crucial and has the potential to save many lives.
\n \n\n \n \nMORU Data Management focuses on tropical infectious diseases, gathering data from diverse sources like patient interviews, medical records and laboratory results. This data, stripped of identifying information, is organized for analysis. Past clinical data aids new insights, augmented by mathematical modelling and AI. MORU aims to improve healthcare by leveraging technology for accurate, impactful solutions.
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