Research & Collaboration

Driving evidence-based solutions to Africa's most pressing health challenges through innovative research and strategic partnerships.

Research Excellence for African Health

Our research program addresses the unique health challenges facing African populations through rigorous, culturally appropriate, and policy-relevant studies. We prioritize research that can directly inform health policy and improve health outcomes.

Every research initiative is designed with implementation in mind, ensuring that findings translate into actionable interventions that can be scaled across African health systems.

  • Community-engaged research approaches
  • Multi-country collaborative studies
  • Policy-relevant research questions
  • Capacity building through research
  • Open science and data sharing
  • Sustainable impact measurement

Research Impact Highlights

Continental Reach
Active research projects across 30+ African countries
Evidence Generation
Over 150 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals
Policy Influence
Research findings adopted in 25+ national health policies
Capacity Building
Trained 500+ African researchers and health professionals
$85M Research Funding
2.5M Lives Impacted
150+ Publications

Key Research Areas

Addressing Africa's priority health challenges through focused research programs

Infectious Disease Control

Combating malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and emerging infectious diseases through innovative prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies tailored for African contexts.

  • Antimicrobial resistance surveillance
  • Vaccine effectiveness studies
  • Disease outbreak preparedness
  • Community-based interventions

Non-Communicable Diseases

Addressing the rising burden of diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and cardiovascular disease through prevention-focused research and health system interventions.

  • Risk factor identification and modification
  • Screening and early detection programs
  • Chronic disease management models
  • Health behavior change interventions

Maternal & Child Health

Improving maternal and child survival through research on pregnancy care, childhood nutrition, immunization, and reproductive health services.

  • Skilled birth attendance interventions
  • Childhood malnutrition prevention
  • Adolescent reproductive health
  • Family planning access and quality

Health Systems Strengthening

Optimizing health service delivery, workforce development, and health financing to build resilient, equitable health systems across Africa.

  • Health workforce optimization
  • Service delivery innovations
  • Health financing mechanisms
  • Quality improvement interventions

Environmental Health

Investigating the impact of environmental factors on health, including climate change, air quality, water safety, and occupational health hazards.

  • Climate change and health adaptation
  • Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)
  • Air pollution and respiratory health
  • Occupational safety interventions

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Addressing the growing mental health burden through culturally appropriate interventions, stigma reduction, and integration into primary healthcare.

  • Community-based mental health models
  • Trauma and post-conflict recovery
  • Substance abuse prevention
  • Mental health workforce development

Current Research Projects

Ongoing studies making a difference across Africa

Africa Malaria Prevention Innovation Study (AMPIS)
Active
Multi-country randomized controlled trial testing innovative bed net distribution strategies and community engagement approaches across 15 African countries to reduce malaria transmission.
15 countries 50,000 participants 2023-2026 $12.5M funding
Expected 35% reduction in malaria incidence
Maternal Health Digital Solutions (MHDS)
Active
Implementation research on mobile health platforms for improving antenatal care attendance and birth preparedness in rural communities across West Africa.
Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso 25,000 pregnant women 2024-2027 $8.2M funding
Digital health innovation for maternal care
African NCDs Prevention Network (ANPN)
Planning
Comprehensive intervention package targeting diabetes and hypertension prevention through community health worker programs and lifestyle modification in urban African settings.
Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa 75,000 participants 2025-2029 $15.7M proposed
Preventing chronic diseases at community level
Climate Health Adaptation Study (CHAS)
Active
Longitudinal study examining the health impacts of climate change and evaluating adaptation strategies in vulnerable communities across the Sahel region.
Chad, Niger, Sudan 30,000 participants 2022-2025 $6.8M funding
Climate adaptation for health resilience
Mental Health Integration Platform (MHIP)
Completed
Pilot study on integrating mental health services into primary healthcare in post-conflict settings, developing sustainable models for ongoing care.
DRC, CAR, South Sudan 12,000 participants 2021-2024 $4.2M funding
Mental health care integration success
Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Network (ARSN)
Active
Continental surveillance system tracking antibiotic resistance patterns and supporting rational antibiotic use programs across African healthcare facilities.
25 countries 200 facilities 2020-ongoing $9.5M funding
Combating antimicrobial resistance

Collaboration Opportunities

Partnership models designed to maximize impact and capacity building

Academic Partnerships

Collaborate with African universities and international institutions on joint research projects, student exchanges, and faculty development programs.

  • Joint PhD and postdoc programs
  • Research capacity building
  • Equipment and infrastructure sharing
  • Publication and dissemination partnerships

Government Partnerships

Work directly with ministries of health and government agencies to conduct policy-relevant research and support evidence-based decision making.

  • Policy research and evaluation
  • Health system assessments
  • Technical assistance and advisory services
  • Capacity building for government researchers

Private Sector Engagement

Partner with pharmaceutical companies, technology firms, and other private sector organizations to develop and test innovative health solutions.

  • Product development and testing
  • Implementation research
  • Market access studies
  • Technology transfer and adaptation

International Collaborations

Engage with global research networks, international organizations, and development partners to leverage expertise and resources.

  • Multi-country research consortiums
  • Knowledge exchange programs
  • Funding partnership opportunities
  • Global health initiative participation

Research Impact

Measuring success through real-world health improvements

1000+
Publications
1000
Policy Changes
1000M
Lives Impacted
1000M
Research Funding

How to Collaborate with Us

Simple steps to begin your partnership with PASRTA

1. Concept Development

Share your research ideas or collaboration interests. We'll work together to develop a concept that aligns with African health priorities and your organizational goals.

2. Proposal Preparation

Collaborate on developing comprehensive research proposals, including methodology, budget, and implementation plans tailored for African contexts.

3. Implementation

Execute the research project with our experienced team, leveraging our extensive network of African research partners and community connections.

4. Impact & Dissemination

Ensure research findings reach policymakers, practitioners, and communities through strategic dissemination and implementation support.

Research Ethics & Standards

We maintain the highest ethical standards in all our research activities, ensuring participant safety, data privacy, and community benefit. Our research ethics framework is designed to respect African values and cultural contexts.

  • Institutional Review Board oversight
  • Community consent and engagement
  • Data protection and privacy compliance
  • Benefit-sharing agreements
  • Cultural sensitivity protocols
  • Transparent reporting standards

Open Science Commitment

PASRTA is committed to open science principles, making our research findings, data, and tools freely available to the global scientific community while respecting participant privacy and community rights.

  • Open access publication policy
  • Data sharing platforms
  • Reproducible research practices
  • Community data ownership protocols
  • Tool and methodology sharing
  • Collaborative research platforms

Recent Publications

Latest research findings from PASRTA-supported studies

Community-based malaria prevention in rural Ghana

Published in The Lancet Global Health. Results show 35% reduction in malaria incidence through innovative bed net distribution and community engagement strategies.

Lancet Global Health January 2025 Open Access

Mobile health interventions for maternal care in West Africa

Published in BMJ Global Health. Comprehensive analysis of mHealth effectiveness for improving maternal health outcomes across 12 West African countries.

BMJ Global Health December 2024 Open Access

Antibiotic resistance patterns in Sub-Saharan Africa

Published in Nature Medicine. Continental surveillance results revealing concerning resistance trends and successful intervention strategies.

Nature Medicine November 2024 Open Access

Partner with Us

Join PASRTA in conducting high-impact research that transforms health outcomes across Africa. Together, we can generate the evidence needed to build healthier communities.

Propose a Collaboration View Research Portfolio