Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (ERID)
Produces research on the emerging re-emerging infectious diseases across Africa
Area of Work 1
Area of Work 1: To contribute to the understanding of the levels, distribution, drivers, and impact of major emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.
Clarifying the epidemiology of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases is at the center of their prevention and control. We aim to design and conduct epidemiologic studies to improve our understanding of their levels, distribution, risk factors, and impact. COVID-19 has demonstrated, to a new level, the value of countries being able to use data to understand the dynamics of epidemics. Surveillance should be part of enhancing our understanding of the epidemiology of new and old epidemics.
Using existing surveillance systems and data sources, we will aim to deepen our epidemiological understanding of various infectious diseases and thus inform programming. Surveillance to monitor existing epidemics and detection of new ones is limited and the systems, including laboratory capacity, are weak. Detection of the emergence of drug-resistant strains is also a function of active surveillance. We will focus on supporting the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship in priority countries in East and Southern Africa (ESA) and West and Central Africa (WCA).
Area of Work 2
Area of Work 2:To describe and identify gaps in the coverage of interventions against major emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) dispensation aims to ensure that no one is left behind. However, continued delivery of health interventions as usual might achieve this.
We aim to not only measure coverage of interventions but also identify barriers, and inequities, which often go undetected. We will focus on vaccine-preventable diseases, current epidemics such as COVID-19, and HIV and malaria.
Area of Work 3
Area of Work 3: To assess the impact of large-scale public health interventions against major emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases
Investment in the health sector as a proportion of a country’s GDP, while inadequate, is still substantial. As such, it is important to understand whether interventions in the sector are effective.
While vaccines are available for some of the emerging (COVID-19) and re-emerging diseases (tuberculosis), uptake of the respective vaccine in some areas remains low. Over the years, we have built the capacity to conduct large-scale impact evaluations to help inform public health decisions.
Area of Work 4
Area of Work 4: Test health systems innovations to increase access, uptake, and use of interventions with a focus on addressing inequities, reaching traditionally excluded sub-populations, addressing vaccine hesitancy, and proposing evidence-informed solutions to addressing barriers to accessing services.
Delivery of interventions often reaches a saturation point to the effect that more of the same does not lead to better health impact. Hard-to-reach sub-populations may remain uncovered/unreached by interventions and as such serve as the source of outbreaks and possibly development of resistance due to irrational use of antimicrobials.
We aim to promote innovation to advance and improve access to critical public health interventions to ensure reduced inequality and inequity in disease burden. We will focus on harnessing community resources, the use of digital technology, and tweaking the healthcare system to serve hard-to-reach populations better.
Related Projects
- Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (ERID), Health and Wellbeing
- Chronic Diseases Management (CDM), Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (ERID), Health and Wellbeing
- Chronic Diseases Management (CDM), Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (ERID), Health and Wellbeing
- Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (ERID), Health and Wellbeing
- Chronic Diseases Management (CDM), Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (ERID), Health and Wellbeing
Related Publications
- Health and Wellbeing, Research
- Health and Wellbeing, Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (SRMNCAH)
- Health and Wellbeing, Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (SRMNCAH)
- Health and Wellbeing, Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (SRMNCAH)
- Chronic Diseases Management (CDM), Health and Wellbeing
- Chronic Diseases Management (CDM), Health and Wellbeing
- Health and Wellbeing, Nutrition and Food Systems(NFS)
- Health and Wellbeing, Nutrition and Food Systems(NFS)
- Health and Wellbeing, Nutrition and Food Systems(NFS)