It is important to embrace the call to action for rare diseases by fostering research through public-private partnerships. Through collective efforts, we can illuminate the path towards a future where individuals with rare diseases and their families receive improved access to healthcare, education, and comprehensive policies, ensuring no one is left behind, #ForBetterPublicHealth.
At this meeting, members of the ARISE Network and distinguished stakeholders convened to discuss how to collectively move from ideas to action. The focus centered on advancing the recommendations from our collaborative work on doctoral public health training in Africa.
At the Annual Network Meetings for the DASH and ARISE-NUTRINT on January 22nd and 23rd 2024 respectively, the networks’ partners and collaborators presented and discussed the work that has been done in the past 12 months, key considerations for implementation, and agreed on a roadmap for the next 12 months. We we engaged with the implementing partners from Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Burkina Faso as well as collaborating partners from Germany, Serbia, Netherlands, Spain, and USA.
This strategic meeting provided an overview of ongoing projects promoting adolescent health and nutrition within and the ARISE Network and future initiatives to collectively pursue. The ARISE Network partners identified future directions for the Network to improve adolescent health and nutrition in SSA.
This 5th Annual Scientific Symposium was officiated by Hon. Ummy Mwalimu the Tanzanian Minister of Heath, and attended by Dr. Michael A. Battle Sr., the US Ambassador to Tanzania, Prof. Mark Elliott - Vice Provost of International Affairs at Harvard University and Board Chairperson to Africa Academy for Public Health, Dr. Mahesh Swaminathan - Country Director, Center of Disease control and Prevention (CDC) Tanzania, Melissa McNeil-Barrett – UNFPA Deputy Representative, Prof. Ayoade Oduola from University of Ibadan Research Foundation only to mention a few.
In this day-long event, evidences were presented and discussed on the links between family planning and nutrition, showcasing findings from the Family Planning and Nutrition project and other key work in this area led by colleagues in the sub-Saharan African region. Through this workshop, we engaged with a range of stakeholders, including those working in academia, policymaking and programme implementation, government officials, and civil service representatives working across family planning, nutrition, and allied domains.
The HIS program as is customary, organized its 7th Annual Symposium in Dar es Salaam Tanzania mid-January 2024. This symposium reviewed the state of the empirical evidence as well as potential novel interventions and implementation strategies in (i) HIV and NCDs, (ii) iron supplementation, and (iii) food supplementation in the context of TB.
In response to increased rates of undernutrition, overweight, and food insecurity among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the Africa Academy for Public Health (AAPH) in collaboration with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Tanzania's Ministry of Health, the Local Government and beneficiaries are co-designing adolescent-led interventions including digital approaches.
AAPH takes pride in such collaborative efforts to build local capacity via summer research training fellowships, and postgraduate programs with Harvard University and other global partners; developing the next generation of African public health leaders. #ForBetterPublicHealth
As we commemorate suicide prevention day this year, we are all obligated to play our roles in giving rise to hope for others through our actions. We should strive to create a safe environment for young people and everyone else to express their feelings in schools, workplaces, healthcare facilities and communities without judgement, For Better Public Health.