​

​​Projects

We conduct research, knowledge translation, capacity building, and advocacy in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and rights to improve the health and wellbeing of women, children, and adolescents. ​


Ongoing Projects

​Women Health

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AI-Enabled Obstetrics (Prospective data collection of obstetric ultrasound scans for development of AI solutions)

​Aim: To collect ultrasound imaging data with the Lumify C5-2 ultrasound system in at least 500 pregnant women using blind and guided sweep protocols to design and develop algorithms for automated / semi-automated detection of the basic obstetric ultrasound screening parameters.


Funder: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)

Partners: Philips

AIMIX (Inclusive Artificial Intelligence for accessible medical imaging across resource-limited settings)

​Aim: To introduce and implement a scientific framework for inclusive artificial intelligence (AI) in medical imaging and demonstrate its relevance for accessible and effective obstetric ultrasound screening in resource-limited rural settings.


Funder: European Research Council (ERC)

Partners: University of Barcelona, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Gombe Teaching Hospital


Website: https://aimix-erc.eu/​​

PRECISE Dyad (Linking maternal and infant health trajectories in Sub-Saharan Africa)

​Aim: To further the understanding of the impacts of various pregnancy events on both mother and baby post-delivery, and to understand the pathways to these outcomes.


Funder: Wellcome Trust

Partners: King’s College London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London, MRC Unit- The Gambia, Kilifi County Department of Health


SVN (Lancet Series on Small Vulnerable Newborns (SVN))

​Aim: To contribute to the series on a new concept (SVN), its epidemiology, interventions and call to action.


Funder: Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)

Partners: Tampere University, London School for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University College London, University of Botswana, Johns Hopkins University


Website: https://preventsvn.org/

UZIMA-DS (Utilize health information for meaningful impact in East Africa through data science)

​Aim: To create a scalable and sustainable platform to apply novel approaches to data assimilation and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) – based methods to serve as early warning systems to address critical health issues impacting young Africans in two domains: maternal, newborn, and child health and mental health.

Funder: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Partners: University of Michigan, Aga Khan Foundation, Ministry of Health, Clinton Health Access Initiative

Website: https://uzimadatascience.org/​​​

D43 (Global infectious diseases and HPV research training in Kenya)

​Aim: To increase research into the prevention, detection and treatment of HPV infection and its impact on cancer, strengthen the capacity of Aga Khan University to conduct research in infectious diseases, and expand knowledge and skills in clinical research across AKU in East Africa.


Funder: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Partners: University of Washington, Emory University

Adolescent Health​​




Changemaker (Promoting co-designed sustainable health interventions with young changemakers for reduced risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in urban Burkina Faso, Kenya and Tanzania)

​Aim: To implement and evaluate a sustainable health intervention program on health, nutrition, and environmental outcomes for the primary prevention of adolescent obesity and other related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) together with adolescents in three rapidly urbanizing cities in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Tanzania.


Funder: European Union (EU)

Partners: Karolinska Institutet (KI)

INSPIRE (Innovative approaches to adolescent perinatal mental wellbeing)

​​Aim: To utilize human-centered system-thinking design driven by implementation science methods in developing a mental health promotion intervention, for pregnant adolescent girls and new mothers aged 15-19 years living in Kenya and Mozambique, over a two-year period.

Funder: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Partners: King’s College London, Royal College of Art, County Government of Kilifi, Centre for Global Mental Health (CGMH), International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRH) - Mozambique


Website: https://www.designinmh.com/​

Futbol Mas (Social football programme improving health and wellbeing of children and youth in informal settlements in Nairobi)

​Aim: To evaluate the impact of the Futbol Mas sporting programme called Kucheza Pamoja which is running in Nairobi.  This programme integrates social-sports workshops in communities with socially vulnerable children. The workshops are meant to promote resilience and wellbeing among children.


Funder: Grand Challenges Canada (GCC)

Partners: Futbol Mas Kenya

WHO-TA (Assessing equitable access to quality sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services among adolescents and youth (AY) in the six Coastal Counties of Kenya: A mixed method study)

​Aim: To assess equitable access to quality Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) information and services among adolescents and youth (AY) in the six Coastal Counties of Kenya.


Funder: World Health Organization (WHO), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)

Partners: Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani, Pwani University, County Government of Kilifi, Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation

​Ch​ild Health



ANNN (Enteral Nutrition in Preterm and LBW Infants in Africa)

​Aim: To co-create an online course on nutrition for low birthweight (LBW) infants, relevant to African hospitals to improve the survival, growth and development of LBW newborns through better nutrition.


Funder: GNCA

Partners: African Neonatal Nutrition Network, Newcastle University


Website: https://africanneonatalnutrition.net/

LBW Infant Study

​Aim: To explore and evaluate community-level strategies to improve the survival, growth and developmental outcomes of low birthweight in impoverished communities in sub-Saharan Africa.


Funder: UKRI Medical Research Council (MRC)

Partners: King’s College London, European Union, European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), UK Aid Direct

​Gender and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

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WHEELER (Women in health and their economic, equity and livelihood statuses during emergency preparedness and response)

​Aim: To utilize human-centered design and gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) to provide evidence on the health, economic and societal impacts of COVID-19 and its mitigation measures on the female HCP work force.


Funder: International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Partners: University of Manitoba, County Government of Kilifi, County Government of Mombasa


Website: www.wheeler.co.ke​


FP Exemplars (Exemplars in family planning analysis)

​Aim: To assess potential determinants and drivers of gains in family planning (FP) use, as well as a conceptual framework used in the exemplars in family planning analysis that could be adapted for future FP research studies.

Funder: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)

Partners: SickKids​​​

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​​Past Projects

AMMITY (Using Data to improve Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health)

​Aim: To analyse trends in fMMR and also develop predictive models that will utilise multiple socio- demographic, health systems and clinical characteristics to determine the risk of women dying during delivery.


Duration: 2020 - 2022

Funder: Grand Challenges Africa

Partners: Ministry of Health – Kenya

AQCESS (Access to quality care through extending and strengthening health systems)

​Aim: To improve maternal, newborn and child health in Kenya, Mali, Mozambique and Pakistan.


Duration: 2016 - 2021

Funder: Global Affairs Canada, Aga Khan Foundation Canada

Partners: Aga Khan Foundation, Aga Khan Health Services, SickKids Centre for Global Child Health​


Health systems analysis on barriers to sexual and reproductive health services during COVID-19

​Aim: To assess the contraception, abortion/post-abortion care, STI and GBV services available in local health facilities during COVID-19 pandemic.


Duration: 2021 - 2023

Funder: World Health Organization (WHO)

Partners: Ministry of Health - Kenya, County Governments of Nairobi, Mombasa and Kilifi

MERL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Unit)

​Aim: To strengthen health institutions, health systems and population health programme in Africa through data driven research, capacity building and high quality technical expertise in public health monitoring, evaluation and learning.


Duration:​ 2016 - 2020

Funder: ​SickKids Centre for Global Child Health

Partners: University of Toronto

Mimba Yangu (My Pregnancy)

​Aim: To assess the role of technology in access to quality maternal services and enhancement of birth preparedness.


Duration: 2019 - 2022

Funder: Philips Foundation

Partners: Philips, County Government of Kilifi

PRECISE Network (Pregnancy Care Integrating Translational Science Everywhere)

​Aim: To investigate three important complications of pregnancy: hypertension, foetal growth restriction and stillbirth. 

Further, the study sought to understand the complete experience of pregnant women including themes such as: Diet and Nutrition, Water and Sanitation, Socio-economics, Health Geography, Health systems, Biology and Epidemiology.


Duration: 2018 - 2022

Funder: UKRI, Global Challenges Research

Partners: King’s College London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London, MRC Unit- The Gambia, Kilifi County Department of Health​


Website: https://precisenetwork.org​

POC (Point of care tests in rural primary care facilities to improve access to antenatal screening)

​Aim: To address the problem of limited access to basic antenatal screening tests in rural primary healthcare facilities that do not have on-site laboratories.


Duration: 2017 - 2018

Funder: Grand Challenges Arica

Partners: County Government of Kilifi

WHO CIP Study (A prospective cohort study investigating maternal, pregnancy, and neonatal outcomes for women and neonates infected with SARS-CoV-2)

​Aim: To determine if Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV-2) infection during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse pregnancy, perinatal, neonatal, and postpartum outcomes by collecting data from women infected with SARS-COV-2.


Duration: 2018 - 2023

Funder: UKRI, Global Challenges Research

Partners: King’s College London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London, MRC Unit- The Gambia, Kilifi County Department of Health