African Population and Health Research Center

African Population and Health Research Center
Name	African Population and Health Research Center
Founded	1995
Location	Nairobi, Kenya
Focus	Population research, public health, urbanization, policy

African Population and Health Research Center is an independent research institution based in Nairobi, Kenya that conducts population and health research across sub-Saharan Africa. The center engages with stakeholders in Nairobi, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and other countries to inform policy in areas such as urbanization, reproductive health, and aging. It collaborates with international organizations including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to translate evidence into action.

History

The center was established in 1995 following initiatives by scholars associated with International Development Research Centre, Population Council, Makerere University, University of Nairobi, and Kenya Medical Research Institute to respond to demographic transitions in Africa. Early collaborations linked the center with projects funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and bilateral agencies such as United States Agency for International Development and Department for International Development (United Kingdom). During the 2000s the institution expanded partnerships with academic centers like Harvard University, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and University of Cape Town while engaging with policy bodies including the African Union and the East African Community.

Mission and Objectives

The center’s mission focuses on generating evidence to improve population health and inform policy debates in countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Zambia. Core objectives include conducting rigorous research tied to programs supported by funders such as the Wellcome Trust, the Gates Cambridge Trust, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, building research capacity through training with partners like Stanford University and University of Michigan, and influencing policy processes in forums like the World Bank and the Global Health Council.

Research Areas and Programs

Research programs cover urbanization and slum dynamics studied alongside institutions such as UN-Habitat and Slum Dwellers International, sexual and reproductive health linked to projects with Marie Stopes International and IPPF, aging and later-life transitions connected with studies comparing cohorts from South Africa and Kenya, and HIV/AIDS research integrated with trials involving Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Médecins Sans Frontières. Additional programs investigate maternal and child health in collaboration with Save the Children and UNICEF, non-communicable diseases in partnership with World Diabetes Foundation and International Agency for Research on Cancer, and demographic methods aligned with work from Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and Demographic and Health Surveys.

Governance and Funding

Governance is provided by a board comprising leaders drawn from institutions like African Academy of Sciences, Princeton University, University of London, Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis, and regional policy makers from NEPAD. Funding sources include grants and contracts from multilateral donors such as the United Nations, philanthropic foundations like the Sigrid Rausing Trust and Carnegie Corporation of New York, and research awards from bodies like the European Commission and the National Institutes of Health. The center adheres to oversight standards promoted by organizations such as Council on Health Research for Development and Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The institution maintains strategic collaborations with universities and research centers including Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Oxford, McGill University, University of Ibadan, and Addis Ababa University. It partners with regional networks such as the African Population and Health Research Network, policy platforms including the African Development Bank, and advocacy groups like Amref Health Africa and African Medical and Research Foundation. Collaborative projects have involved programmatic partners such as PATH, Population Services International, Jhpiego, and evaluation partnerships with International Rescue Committee and Oxfam.

Impact and Publications

The center has produced peer-reviewed studies published in journals associated with The Lancet, BMJ, PLOS Medicine, Demography, and Global Public Health and contributed to policy briefs cited by the World Health Assembly, the African Union Commission, and national ministries of health in countries such as Kenya and Uganda. Outputs include methodological contributions to surveys used by Demographic and Health Surveys Program and analytical reports informing urban policy in partnership with United Nations Human Settlements Programme. The center’s researchers have presented findings at conferences including the Union for African Population Studies, the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population, and the Global Symposium on Health Systems Research.

Category:Research institutes in Kenya Category:Public health organizations