A team from the Africa Academy for Public Health (AAPH) paid a visit to the Dar es Salaam office of the Ifakara Health Institute today for a brief meeting to discuss potential research partnerships with the Health Systems research group. 

The meeting, hosted by Dr. Sally Mtenga, Head of the Health Systems, Impact Evaluation, Interventions and Policy Department at Ifakara, focused on identifying collaboration opportunities, particularly in the field of mental health research. 

The AAPH team included Amani Tinkasimile, Senior Manager for Strategic Partnerships and Programs; Given Sam, Research and Communication Officer; and Dr. Yohana Laiser, Research Program Officer.

AAPH's Mental Health Initiative

Globally, mental health disorders present a significant challenge among young people, with statistics showing that one in seven individuals in this demographic experience mental health issues. To address this, the AAPH is implementing the "BEING Young People's Mental Health Initiative" in Tanzania and Ghana, aiming to better understand the mental health of young people in these countries. 

The initiative's findings will be shared locally and internationally to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaborative efforts towards improving mental health outcomes among young people in low and middle-income countries.

About the AAPH

The Africa Academy for Public Health (AAPH) is an independent organization registered in Tanzania, dedicated to innovative scientific research, training, and capacity building for healthcare professionals. They advocate for evidence-based policy-making and aim to nurture the next generation of public health leaders in Africa.

About Ifakara’s Health Systems Research Group

The Health Systems research group at Ifakara Health Institute conducts multidisciplinary studies on health systems performance, including service delivery, quality, and equity. They also monitor and evaluate health programs and pilot initiatives, with recent additions to their portfolio including social determinants of health and health impact assessments of public policies. 

The group plays a crucial role in facilitating the implementation of policy changes and interventions by developing and testing scalable implementation models and tools.