Message from the Director
I am pleased to welcome you to the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health, East Africa.
At the Centre, we conduct research that addresses the health needs of women, adolescents, and children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We work with researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and communities to understand these needs and develop practical responses. This collaborative approach helps make our findings relevant to healthcare delivery, policy, and the communities we serve.
We believe research should do more than generate knowledge or end with publication. It should strengthen health systems, inform policy, improve frontline care, and contribute to better health outcomes. Our approach is based on three impact pillars: building the capacity of people and institutions, integrating digital technology into healthcare, and supporting the delivery of quality healthcare. In practice, this means strengthening the skills of researchers and health workers, finding where digital tools can improve care, and working with health systems to improve the quality of services.
Our work covers reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. Through research, innovation, knowledge translation, and evidence-based advocacy, we seek to understand health challenges, test practical solutions, and support their use in policy and practice. Additionally, we collaborate with communities, governments, academic institutions, healthcare providers, and development partners to move research findings into the places where they can make a difference.
Our commitment to collaboration extends to global partners. We recently formalized a collaboration with the World Health Organization through a memorandum of understanding focused on women's cancers. This partnership strengthens our work to advance research, knowledge sharing and action on cancers affecting women.
On this website, you will find our research projects, the experts leading them, our publications and resources, stories of impact, and examples of how our evidence is informing policy, practice, and public conversations.
I invite you to explore our work, connect with our team and join us in advancing better health outcomes for women, adolescents, and children across East Africa and beyond.
Prof Marleen Temmerman
Director, Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health, East Africa
