The 1000 Challenge launched today at Amref International University (AMIU) 1st Primary Healthcare Congress in Nairobi, Kenya. Professor Trudie Lang, head of The Global Health Network announced the new initiative developed with the Nursing Now Challenge to help nurses, midwives, community health workers and allied health professionals set up pragmatic and achievable studies designed to solve challenging healthcare issues within their workplace. The study could be observational, social science (behavioural or practice), diagnostic, or clinical trials involving existing drugs, vaccines or non-pharmaceutical interventions.
The initiative was inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Samuel Muhula, Head of Learning and Impact at Amref Health Africa, Professor Joachim Osur, Vice chancellor Amref international university and Dr. Alice Lakati, Director of Research and Community Extension, Amref international university.
Through these studies, the partnership will serve to empower nurses, midwives, community health workers and allied health professionals and provide opportunities for leadership and career development, as well as equip them to improve health outcomes in their communities.
Both funded by The Burdett Trust for Nursing, the project brought Nursing Now Challenge and The Global Health Network together to recognise and tackle the stark inequity that currently exists in research – specifically who leads and who directly benefits from studies and their findings. It was acknowledged that nurses, midwives, and community health workers are frequently cited in work, but all too often not given the guidance or tools to lead research itself.
The 1000 Challenge will be embedded within The Global Health Network’s vast and trusted community of practice that runs research system strengthening programmes to integrate research within healthcare practice by facilitating workplace-based learning, local research support activities and professional development for research teams.
Read the full story on the Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health website.