Two new research collaborations led by the Humanitarian Water Engineering (HWE) Lab at 91亚色鈥檚 Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research aim to improve health outcomes in crisis-affected communities in Uganda through local partnerships and innovative water-focused interventions.
Syed Imran Ali, Director of the HWE Lab and Fellow at the Dahdaleh Institute, and his team recently travelled to Uganda to launch two new research partnerships aimed at improving public health in communities affected by humanitarian crises.

The first initiative took Ali and his team to Gulu University, where they met with faculty from Gulu's School of Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and the Environment, and Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies. Together, they defined and formalized a new collaborative research program, marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions.

Located in a region recovering from prolonged civil conflict and home to a large refugee population fleeing unrest in neighbouring countries, Gulu University will work with the HWE Lab on projects addressing communicable disease control, maternal and child health, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in emergency contexts.

Supported by 91亚色 International鈥檚 Global Research Excellence Seed Fund, the first joint projects will focus on water and health in refugee settlements in northern Uganda. Over time, the partnership aims to expand into additional priority areas in humanitarian health and bring in new partner institutions from neighbouring countries, contributing to a broader vision for a humanitarian health research network across the African Great Lakes Region.

Ali and his team also visited the Kyaka II refugee settlement in western Uganda to initiate a second research collaboration with the Nsamizi Training Institute of Social Development. A key implementing partner for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Nsamizi is responsible for delivering WASH services at the settlement.

Supported by a Connected Minds Seed Grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, this project will use machine learning to develop predictive tools linking water quality to health outcomes. The goal is to address a long-standing challenge in the humanitarian WASH sector: enabling timely health risk forecasting without relying on costly, large-scale disease surveillance studies.

Over the coming year, the HWE Lab will work with Nsamizi to strengthen water system monitoring, provide technical training, and support the development of proposals for future water and sanitation programs at Kyaka II and other refugee settlements in Uganda.

Together, these two partnerships mark a significant step forward in the HWE Lab鈥檚 mission to deliver practical, innovative solutions to urgent global health challenges through close collaboration with local institutions.

With files from Syed Imran Ali

Originally published in YFile.

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Five upper-year 91亚色 nursing students will travel to Kumasi, Ghana in March for a three-week clinical placement 鈥� a unique opportunity to broaden their understanding and experience in global health.

The undergraduate students will take part in clinical outreach and community health programs focusing on chronic diseases and maternal health at Mansa Memorial Hospital, a small private facility in Kumasi. 

Well-equipped to serve a large catchment area, the hospital includes an acute care unit, a maternity ward, as well as adult and inpatient units. Along with its strong community outreach and public health work, Mansa Memorial offers students the opportunity to rotate through wards and do clinical outreach. 

Faith Root, a registered nurse who holds a master鈥檚 degree in public health, is a PhD student and an assistant professor in 91亚色鈥檚 School of Nursing in the Faculty of Health. Root, along with Professor Mavoy Bertram, an associate professor and pediatric nurse practitioner, will accompany the students. 

鈥淭hey're very involved with trying to meet people where they are in the community. So, on Sundays, we'll go to church to do diabetes outreach. We鈥檒l go to the markets,鈥� says Root. 鈥淪tudents will get to see a little bit of everything and be able to engage with education from an individual and population perspective.鈥� 

Health-care workers are seeing a trend of rising chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the world鈥檚 low- and middle-income countries, Root says. Chronic diseases are gradually outpacing infectious causes of death such as tuberculosis, malaria and HIV as countries develop. 

The nursing students will care for patients diagnosed with both infectious and chronic illness. 

Also, the demographics of patients that come into care is similar to what is observed in  North America;  it鈥檚 mainly women and children who access health care. The Ghanaians 鈥渢old us the men just don't come in for care until they're really ill,鈥� Root says. 

Historically, the leading cause of death from pregnancy and childbirth in Ghana was postpartum hemorrhages. However, hypertension in pregnancy is on the rise, so caring for pregnant patients with high blood pressure conditions will be a big focus for the students, Root says.  

Although there are similarities in patient demographics and illnesses in the Ghana hospital, the practicum is meant to immerse students in global health scholarship. Claire Mallette, a registered nurse and director of 91亚色鈥檚 School of Nursing, says 鈥淲e know we need to provide these learning opportunities for our students. We know the world is globalized, and it is important to give the experience of a global health perspective.鈥�  

The undergraduate practicum pilot project stems from the School鈥檚 graduate level project ASCEND (Advancing Scholarship and Capacity for Emerging Nursing Doctorates), which is a partnership between 91亚色鈥檚 School of Nursing and the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) based in Ho, Ghana. ASCEND supports Ghanaian nurses who come to 91亚色 to pursue PhDs in nursing. Over the five or six years of its existence, the program has seen up to 10 Ghanaian nurses work on PhDs at 91亚色 with the goal of returning home to teach other nurses and conduct research, says Root.  

91亚色 also helps educate other nurses and midwives in Ghana. In return for having the 91亚色 nursing students at Mansa Memorial, Ghanaian health officials collaborated with 91亚色 to access nursing education resources, Root says.  

鈥淲e offered one of the courses that I teach specifically on pregnancy to the nurses and midwives,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey were given access to our online portal. We set up a separate one so they had access to slides, recorded lectures, all of the material and content.鈥�  

Root followed this up with a live Zoom session every two weeks to discuss a different case the Ghanaian health officials would present. It became a community of practice with both sides learning from each other, rather than just an invitation to join the course, Root says. She hopes to organize another session this summer.  

Mallette calls the partnership with Ghana a win-win for 91亚色 and Ghana on many levels. She says the School of Nursing is keen to expand the practicum program; however, one of the biggest hurdles is cost to students.  

鈥淎t 91亚色, we have the most diverse population of students, many being first generation to be going to university,鈥� Mallette says. 鈥淗aving to work to be able to fund their education is really limiting.鈥� 

The School and its students will be seeking creative ways to fund and expand on these valuable international placements to provide more equitable opportunities for interested nursing students. 

With files from Julie Carl

Originally published in YFile.

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By Gloria Suhasini

New and returning students enjoy a meet and greet with the University president, foreign diplomats and peers

鈥淔rom the very first day I stepped on the 91亚色 campus, what I found most appealing was the mix of students from all over the world! This led to new friendships and connections which continue to make my university experience even more rewarding.鈥� said Damor McQueen, a fourth-year political science student from Jamaica, speaking at the President鈥檚 International Student Reception on September 25.

The Student Success Mentor Lead in the Black Excellence at 91亚色 program urged his peers to build new connections and get involved in academic and extracurricular activities to make the be best of 鈥渢his once in a lifetime opportunity being presented to you.鈥� He cited his own experience volunteering last year at the聽Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences聽hosted by 91亚色 that led to his current work/study student opportunity.听

91亚色 continues to attract students like McQueen from around the world, who join the community with great enthusiasm to receive worldclass education 鈥� often work-integrated 鈥� in their chosen field, be that in the arts, science, technology or engineering.

To make high quality university education accessible, 91亚色 offers several . One such scholarship is the President鈥檚 International Scholarship of Excellence, awarded to high school applicants around the world, who are entering their first year of a four-year undergraduate degree at the university. Another scholarship popular among international students is the Tentanda Via Award. Named after 91亚色鈥檚 motto 鈥淭he Way Must Be Tried,鈥� it assists undergraduate students who have demonstrated resilience in overcoming significant personal barriers in the pursuit of a university education and progressive changemakers committed to sustainable development.

Other scholarships available for international students include Daughters for Life, the Global Leader of Tomorrow Award, and Mitacs Internships and Awards. Several聽聽attended the president's reception. For additional information, students are encouraged to visit 91亚色鈥檚聽Global Engagement听飞别产蝉颈迟别.

鈥淲hile it is our intention to support you in your academic journey, you also bring a wealth of insights and strengths to 91亚色," President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton told the student audiences. 鈥淲e are thrilled that you chose us, and we look forward to what we will accomplish together. Please remember that nothing is more important than your well-being and health and we have many student services to support you.鈥�

The event organized by  was also attended by China鈥檚 Education Counsels Renzhu Li and Wenjin Han; India鈥檚 Consul (Commerce & Political) Kapidhwaja Pratap Singh; and the Philippine Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate and Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague.

These diplomatic representatives to Canada were not only present to celebrate their respective country鈥檚 highly talented students, but also to assure support in their new country of temporary residence. 鈥淲e wish them the very best in their courses of study,鈥� said Singh. 鈥淭he Indian Consulate remains at disposal for welfare and well-being of all Indian international students in Canada.鈥�

Diplomats were also on hand to speak to the students during the networking hour, a rare opportunity for these outstanding future leaders of the world.

By the end of the event, it was evident that many students had forged enriching new friendships that could last a lifetime, while advancing their education and career aspirations.

Originally published in News@91亚色.

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Two groups of 91亚色 students travelled to Cuba this spring as part of a new Faculty of Health course exploring human rights, Cuban culture and the country鈥檚 health-care system. The course 鈥� Experience Cuba: Enacting the human right to health and health equity, taught by Jessica Vorstermans, an associate professor in the School of Health Policy & Management 鈥� marked the first simultaneous collaboration between 91亚色 U, the University of Holguin and the Medical University of Holguin. It is an offering the Faculty of Health hopes to strengthen and continue.

The 34 students in the Experience Cuba course were part of a cohort of more than 300 91亚色 students participating in faculty-led study abroad programs this spring and summer. They received funding support through 91亚色 International鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Action Program, which is funded by the Government of Canada鈥檚 Global Skills Opportunity.

The course provided a look at how the Cuban health-care system flourishes amidst a landscape of economic crisis. The country has been under a United States trade embargo since 1962, resulting in a scarcity of many goods 鈥� including medicines and modern medical equipment. Nonetheless, many Cuban indicators of health are comparable to those in Canada, said Vorstermans.

鈥淐uba is an example of everything we want an equitable and universal system to look like, but in an environment of great scarcity,鈥� Vorstermans said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a system that prioritizes preventive and primary care.鈥�

Developed by Vorstermans and supported by Julie Hard, director of global and community partnerships in the Faculty of Health, the new course attracted so much interest that the Faculty chose to run two sessions back to back to accommodate more students.

While in Cuba, the students attended lectures about the health-care system at the partner universities and visited the neighbourhood network of clinics 鈥� the first stop for patients. They toured the medical school and learned about the curriculum, which also includes dentistry and traditional medicine.

It was an eye-opening experience for the students, who were housed with Cuban families in a Holguin neighbourhood, took the university bus to campus, and visited many cultural sites during their visit.

鈥淚t was a two-week snapshot of Cuban life,鈥� Hard said. 鈥淢ost Canadians think of Cuban resorts and beaches, but living in a home in a country coping with scarcity was very different. It was an immersive cultural experience that went way beyond textbooks and the travel brochures.鈥�

They learned about navigating fuel shortages and gained an appreciation for how hard people work to put food on the table. 鈥淭he state makes sure there is enough,鈥� said Hard, 鈥渂ut there isn鈥檛 the same selection to which we鈥檙e accustomed.鈥�

The students were amazed by the efficiency of the Cuban health-care system, and couldn鈥檛 help but draw comparisons to Canada鈥檚.

鈥淭he health care in Cuba is inclusive; it accommodates all types of people,鈥� said El Salvador-born Alexa Rios, a first-year health studies student. 鈥淓verything is egalitarian, and everyone gets the same care鈥�. If people with so few resources can create a welcoming system, why can鈥檛 we 鈥� with all of our opportunities 鈥� do the same?鈥�

Sophia Desiri, another first-year health studies student, was very impressed by the strong emphasis on preventive care and the use of local clinics as the first line of defence against illness, rather than emergency rooms.

鈥淭his course opened my eyes to what health care really means, which is community,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he Cuban system looks at patients as people, with feelings and needs.鈥�

Gurher Sidhu, a fourth-year global health student, noted the emphasis the Cuban system places on primary care, with integrated health-care teams that serve the local community at polyclinics.

鈥淭he system was designed logically, with common sense,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he family physicians, for example, live in their communities 鈥� so their patients are also their neighbours. If someone doesn鈥檛 show up for an appointment, they worry. I wonder how we could foster that commitment to care here.鈥�

Sidhu hopes to take more time to reflect on what she experienced and to consider how lessons learned could be applied within the Canadian context. Looking back at her journal 鈥� which she was required to write in while abroad 鈥� might offer some insights. At a Knowledge Mobilization Fair held last month at 91亚色 U, the students shared their takeaways with their families and other invited guests.

鈥淲e were very glad to partner with and support the Faculty of Health with the launch of the Experience Cuba summer abroad course this year,鈥� said Helen Balderama, director of global engagement and partnerships at 91亚色 International. 鈥淭he insights and observations that were shared by the health students precisely demonstrate the whole point of global learning (and study abroad) programs: to be exposed to new ideas and experiences, reflect on them, and be moved to action or further reflection.鈥�

As for Vorstermans and Hard, they plan to run the course again in 2025 and deepen their partnership with the two Cuban institutions.

鈥淭his was a transformative learning experience that was amazing to witness,鈥� Vorstermans says. 鈥淲e view these connections as the beginning of a long-term partnership that we co-create so it is reciprocal.鈥�

Originally published in YFile.

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By Corey Allen, senior manager, research communications

As a world leader in global health research, 91亚色 is fully committed to international collaborations across multiple sectors with academic, government, industry and community partners. Among those highlighting the impact of these partnerships is Professor Godfred Boateng. 

Forging strong relationships beyond geographical boundaries enables the 91亚色 community to conduct meaningful work that defines the University鈥檚 approach to research and innovation: interdisciplinary, collaborative and equitable.  

Among those leading the way in this is Boateng, a quantitative sociologist and epidemiologist who was recently appointed聽Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Global Health and Humanitarianism.听

One of Boateng鈥檚 latest research projects is related to his CRC appointment, which aims to measure and quantify different forms of resource insecurity, including food, water, energy and housing, as well as to advance our understanding of the overall health effects of environmental contaminants, both in the Global South and in Canada. This work exemplifies, he said, the importance of having international partners and collaboration.  

鈥淧artnerships are key and without them, global health research isn鈥檛 possible,鈥� he said. 鈥�91亚色鈥檚 partnerships in the Global South greatly expand the scope of my research and allow me to reach populations and communities that would not be accessible otherwise.鈥�  

Boateng鈥檚 project looks to collect physiological, ecological, and demographic data from informal settlements in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.  

Using high-cost field equipment, the researchers will assess the quality of the air and water samples (stored, drinking and groundwater) found in and around the settlements.  

The data will be used to validate scales, like the Household Water Insecurity Experiences Scale, co-developed by Boateng for use by public health practitioners, non-governmental organizations, government officials, and development agencies to monitor and assess progress on targets set out in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals around achieving equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water, as well as adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene. 

This is particularly important in sub-Saharan Africa, where flooding due to climate change is a considerable health risk and bacterial infections like dysentery and waterborne illnesses like cholera are widespread.  

The scales would help researchers and health-care professionals to assign a score to the environmental contaminants found in settlement households, which enables them to determine if water, for example, is safe for consumption without the need for further testing.听聽

For local governments, this would streamline water, air, and housing quality assessments and provide valuable information to inform health-care policy and decision-making.  

鈥淥ur project will also produce the necessary data for comparative studies, so that this evidence can be used in other contexts, including in some Indigenous communities in Canada that face similar resource insecurity challenges,鈥� said Boateng.  

The project is slated to start this summer with 300 households in Accra, Ghana, alongside Boateng鈥檚 partners from his alma mater, the University of Ghana, and the University of Cape Coast, before moving onto research sites in Nigeria, Kenya and Malawi, and subsequently to Colombia and Mexico.  

Last month, Boateng was also part of a 91亚色 delegation that visited Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya. The Africa trip helped the University engage with prospective students and explore partnership opportunities with local universities and research institutions.  

For Boateng, studying global health helps bridge the inequality divide.   

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to identify the sources of health disparities and the structural determinants of health, so that proper interventions can be put in place,鈥� he said.  

鈥淕lobal health research, when applied, can not only enhance the quality of life for the world鈥檚 most vulnerable populations 鈥� women, children and seniors 鈥� but it also has life-saving potential for people worldwide. It鈥檚 teamwork at its best.鈥�  

Learn more about聽.

Originally published in YFile.

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A World Health Organization Collaborating Centre (WHOCC) at 91亚色鈥檚 Global Strategy Lab (GSL) 鈥� specializing in the global governance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) 鈥� had its impact recognized with a four-year extension, and expansion, of its mandate by WHO.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses and other microbes 鈥� and the infections they cause 鈥� stop responding to the medicines designed to treat them. AMR has a profound impact on global health and development 鈥� especially in low- and middle-income countries. It contributes to an estimated five million deaths annually and rolls back progress on many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), including SDG 3 (Good Health & Wellbeing), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

GSL has emerged as a leader in addressing pressing global and public health challenges. In the area of AMR, GSL aims to use policy research to support evidence-informed decision-making by the world鈥檚 governments and public health institutions to ensure sustainable antimicrobial use.

As a result, in 2019, GSL was designated the WHOCC on Global Governance of Antimicrobial Resistance. 鈥淐ollaborating centres have a concentration of expertise that WHO recognizes as valuable to achieving their mandate,鈥� explains Susan Rogers Van Katwyk, who is co-director of the WHOCC at GSL along with Steven Hoffman.

In the past four years, the WHOCC at GSL has played a critical role in supporting the WHO鈥檚 work on AMR policy and governance, resulting in its renewal for another four years. 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to know that the WHO values our support and the work that we鈥檝e been doing with them for the last few years,鈥� says Rogers Van Katwyk.

While the WHOCC at 91亚色 will continue its mandate of supporting evidence-informed AMR decision-making, its new mandate will include a greater focus on equity as it relates to policy and the governance of AMR. 鈥淎 focus on equity is something that the Global Strategy Lab is committed to and we鈥檙e glad to have it spelled out in our mandate for the renewal term,鈥� says Rogers Van Katwyk.

Among the additions the redesignation has brought to the WHOCC at GSL, Rogers Van Katwyk is especially excited about the greater emphasis on a 鈥淥ne Health鈥� approach, which recognizes that human health, animal health and the environment are interconnected. 鈥淢ost of our research at the Global Strategy Lab already includes that perspective. It鈥檚 where a lot of health research, especially around infectious diseases, is headed,鈥� she says.

Following its redesignation, Rogers Van Katwyk believes the WHOCC 颅at GSL has the potential to make a profound impact on the future of global health and sustainability. 鈥淲e recently undertook a mapping exercise of how AMR impacts the United Nations SDGs. There鈥檚 almost none of them that aren鈥檛 impacted,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f we don鈥檛 address AMR, we鈥檙e not going to achieve the SDG on health and most of the other SDGs.鈥�

Rogers Van Katwyk and her team are ready to support better AMR policymaking and governance for a healthier and more equitable future.

Originally published in YFile.

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The world, as the saying goes, is a classroom, and a special award from the Faculty of Health is making it easier for students to access it. The Global Health Travel Award provides students with funding to help cover travel and accommodation expenses, empowering them to pursue global learning opportunities that can make an impact on their academic and career paths.

The Global Health Travel Award is among several opportunities the Faculty of Health extends to support its students looking to pursue global learning, and it ties to the University鈥檚 larger active efforts to reduce financial barriers to international experiences for students, encouraging the development of global citizenship, interpersonal skills, adaptability and more.

The award is given to Faculty of Health undergraduate students who want to complete a global health project as part of a single-term (11-week) international placement that meets the requirement of their academic program.

During the Winter 2024 term, nine students will be able to travel to countries such as Jordan, Ghana, Kenya, Denmark, Germany and Belize thanks to the award. They will gain experiences echoing those of the following current and past students from the Global Health Promotion & Disease Prevention program within 91亚色鈥檚 School of Global Health whose journeys illustrate the impact the international opportunity and award can have.

Autumn Langford, current student

Langford, who will be graduating following the completion of her practicum, recently won the travel award to journey to Kenya to focus on HIV prevention, particularly among adolescent girls. There, she鈥檒l observe and seek to understand how Kenyan communities address health issues, acknowledging the unique differences from handling HIV in Toronto.

Langford credits the bursary for being pivotal to the opportunity because she is juggling part-time work to cover her other expenses. Without it, her Kenya plans might have faced a financial roadblock. It covered essential needs and unforeseen expenses, such as mandatory immunization for global travel, ensuring her health and safety during the stay.

Daniel Ramlogan, alumnus

Ramlogan saw his academic journey at 91亚色 culminate with a global health practicum in the Middle East. With the $5,000 of support from the award, he was able to travel to Amman, Jordan, to pursue a placement with the Jordan Health Aid Society International.

The relief from financial concerns, which he describes as a significant weight lifted off his shoulders, allowed Ramlogan to fully engage in the cultural and learning experience. In the process, his passion for research and program development were sparked, resulting in two successful projects: workshops on gender-based violence and sexual health in Amman, and a grant for the Za鈥檃tari refugee camp鈥檚 medical facilities. Recognized by the Jordanian government and donors, Ramlogan鈥檚 contributions continue to positively impact lives, even after his departure.

Mahilet Girma, alumna

The funding Girma received from his award allowed her to travel to Brazil to pursue an opportunity to work with MSF (Doctors Without Borders). There, she played a key role in crafting a training module for community health workers, and she emerged from the experience more confident and with more polished social and professional skills. Her journey wasn鈥檛 just an academic and professional, though 鈥� it ignited personal growth.

To learn more about awards issued,聽visit the Global Learning website.

Originally published in YFile.

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Access to clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene are critical to health and well-being, and yet an estimated two billion people globally still lack access to it. Researchers in the Humanitarian Water Engineering Lab at 91亚色鈥檚 Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research are doing their part to address this crisis, and their efforts have been recognized with a major grant from Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge (CHIC).
Valued at $300,000, the CHIC Transition to Scale Grant will provide transformational funding to accelerate the global scale-up of the 91亚色-developed , an innovative water quality modelling platform that helps humanitarian responders ensure water safety and protect public health in crisis zones globally.

This free and open-source tool has been deployed in nine countries by seven different humanitarian organizations, as part of initiatives aiming to improve water safety for over half a million people. The new funding will support the development and piloting of the tool as a joint quality-assurance platform used by safe water programs in a selected country this year.

鈥淭his grant will enable the integration of the SWOT into the ways of working in the humanitarian sector,鈥� says聽Syed Imran Ali, an adjunct professor at 91亚色鈥檚 Lassonde School of Engineering and research fellow at the Dahdaleh Institute who leads the Humanitarian Water Engineering Lab. 鈥淲e are excited to work with local implementing and global co-ordination partners to demonstrate how the SWOT can help ensure safe water program effectiveness and protect public health in crisis zones globally. We are incredibly grateful to Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge for their amazing support in the past, and now with this grant.鈥�

Fawad Akbari, director of humanitarian innovation at Grand Challenges Canada, which oversees the implementation of CHIC, says, 鈥淭he Safe Water Optimization Tool is a pre-eminent example of how innovation adoption in the humanitarian system can directly and efficiently save and improve lives. We are proud to continue to support this initiative and are looking forward to nurturing this next stage of collaboration.鈥�

The SWOT was developed by a team of researchers and humanitarian practitioners at the Dahdaleh Institute and Lassonde, including Ali; Lassonde Associate Professor Usman Khan; Professor James Orbinski; and Lassonde PhD candidate Michael De Santi; with collaboration from Dahdaleh Institute research staff James E. Brown, Mohamed Moselhy and Ngqabutho Zondo.

Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge is a partnership of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and Global Affairs Canada, with support from Grand Challenges Canada. CHIC seeks to enable local organizations, humanitarian agencies, and the private sector to work alongside affected communities to respond more nimbly to complex emergencies, address the unprecedented magnitude of suffering around the world and empower people to create better lives for themselves. This challenge seeks to fund and accelerate innovative solutions that enable life-improving assistance to reach the most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach people in conflict-generated humanitarian crises.

To learn more about the Safe Water Optimization Tool, read YFile鈥榮 recent story or visit . To learn more about Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge, visit .

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By Corey Allen, senior manager, research communications

As a leading international teaching and research university, a key focus at 91亚色 is global health research, particularly on pressing issues facing the Global South 鈥� developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and parts of Asia.  

To conduct this purposeful research abroad, 91亚色 faculty work with their counterparts in other countries to forge international partnerships, based on an inclusive and decolonizing approach.  

Such work aligns with 91亚色鈥檚 , launched earlier this year. The strategy reflects a commitment to Advancing Global Engagement, one of the six priorities for action in the University Academic Plan. 

One country that 91亚色 has strong engagement with is India, particularly in the field of health-related research. A soon-to-be launched seed fund at 91亚色 for research internationalization will prioritize many new and existing partners in the country. The University is also a member of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, a non-profit organization that promotes academic, government and business connections between India and Canada. 

In India and elsewhere, 91亚色 researchers draw on their expertise in health sciences, health management and health informatics, among other health-related fields, to collaborate on studies about infectious diseases, such as malaria, HIV and tuberculosis (TB), which affects many people living in the Global South. This work explores not only combatting the diseases themselves but also involves researchers working to understand their socio-economic consequences.

One such researcher is Amrita Daftary, an associate professor in the School of Global Health and the School of Health Policy & Management.   

鈥淕lobal health research requires trust and good will built upon long-standing relations, which 91亚色 has allowed me to sustain,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y colleagues and I have many points of connection, not transactional in nature nor tied to a single grant. Through these international collaborations, I am grateful my work can have a global impact.鈥�  

Daftary鈥檚 research focuses on the social determinants of tuberculosis, primarily in South Africa. But Daftary grew up in India, a country with nearly 25 per cent of the world鈥檚 TB burden, where she witnessed first-hand the stigma and isolation faced by people living with TB.  

鈥淭uberculosis is fully preventable and curable, but it鈥檚 rampant in forgotten populations,鈥� says Daftary, who is also the founder of the Social Science & Health Innovation for Tuberculosis Centre, a virtual network of scholars who work to address the global TB epidemic. 鈥淏ringing attention to this neglected illness has always been a focus of my work, which is why my research partnerships in India are incredibly meaningful to me.鈥�  

Daftary has lived outside of India for more than two decades, but over the past several years, she has travelled to her home country to work in partnership with the Foundation of Medical Research (FMR), a national research organization affiliated with Mumbai University.  

It is here where Daftary has been involved with several TB studies run by FMR, acting as an adviser on qualitative research methods and providing her expertise as a social scientist to improve clinical care for TB.  

In one study, Daftary conducted a knowledge-building workshop with former patients, or TB survivors, to better understand decision-making when confronted with symptoms related to TB, such as coughing up blood, fever and weight loss, among others. The workshop helped highlight patient priorities in the clinical treatment of TB.  

Using insights from the workshop discussion, Daftary co-authored an article alongside other experts, including FMR鈥檚 current director Nerges Mistry, and TB survivors themselves. Published in the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 鈥溾�� advocates for a more holistic and human approach in health-care systems.

Daftary鈥檚 work in India also considers structural barriers, like gender inequality, that can impact how women with TB access health care and encounter various forms of stigma. She鈥檚 done some of this work by supervising Tahiya Mahbub, a postdoctoral Fellow at 91亚色, who was based in Mumbai.  

With approval from FMR鈥檚 ethics committee, and collaborations with the M茅decins sans Fronti猫res鈥� Mumbai chapter, Daftary and Mahbub used photovoice 鈥� a unique research method that involves study participants photographing themselves and their experiences 鈥� to explore how women with drug-resistant TB dealt with stigma, and how photovoice helped mitigate it. 

The findings, detailed in 鈥溾��,鈥� shed light on their painful lived experiences encountering stigma, ranging from a loss of self, status and mobility to abuse and distress, and feelings of shame and hopelessness. More positively, the method was found to be useful in building a collective resiliency among the study participants.   

The study helped inform patient counselling sessions and identified the participants鈥� needs for their families to be included in counselling, as well as a desire for improved communications skills among nurses and doctors who monitored them long term.   

鈥淧atients can often feel like they are robots or told they can鈥檛 leave their house or go near anyone,鈥� says Daftary. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a real demoralizing approach to care. We need to listen to people who鈥檝e lived through it to tell us how we can do better.鈥�  

Daftary last visited India in late 2022 for her work. She hopes to continue her ongoing collaborations with FMR and others in India as new opportunities emerge, having now established such strong relationships in the country. She鈥檚 particularly interested in pursuing student and faculty exchanges in the future.  

鈥淢y work with FMR and my collaborators in India is beyond any one project,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 hope that we can continue to collaborate on our shared goals to address TB, to engage with communities affected by the disease, and to strengthen knowledge exchange and quality research together.鈥�  

The Foundation for Media Research鈥檚 connections to 91亚色 also include their work on a research project funded by AI4PEP, a 91亚色 program that supports various health-care projects in 16 countries in the Global South. Led by Jude Kong, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Science, FMR鈥檚 project is called 鈥淲astewater-based Surveillance for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) for Early Warning and Engendering Stakeholder Response Through Artificial Intelligence.鈥� One of FMR鈥檚 trustees, Nadir Godrej, also serves as a member on 91亚色鈥檚 India Advisory Council. For more information on this project, visit yorku.ca/science/2023/09/12/york-u-program-helps-fund-16-global-south-health-care-hubs-to-combat-infectious-diseases. 

Originally published in YFile.

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鈥淲e have led the call to聽strengthen the health-care system in low- and medium-income countries聽(LMIC)聽in the Global South for more than a year now,鈥� says Assistant Professor聽, executive director of the聽聽(AI4PEP), which received聽$7.25 million in funding聽from the International Development Research Centre in 2022 to聽develop a multi-regional, interdisciplinary network to use AI and big data to improve public health preparedness and response, and promote equitable and ethical solutions.

Originally from Cameroon, Kong understands the strains faced by health-care systems in LMIC and the importance of southern-led solutions. 鈥淔unding these projects will help strengthen capacity and support prevention, early detection, preparedness, mitigation and control of emerging or re-emerging infectious disease outbreaks in LMIC countries in Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East, which, as we know, can make their way to every country in the world.鈥� Incidents of disease outbreaks are expected to increase in severity and frequency as more viruses, bacteria and parasites jump from animals to people.

After a recent call for project proposals, the AI4PEP team received 221 submissions from 47 countries, with 142 of them from Africa, 40 from Asia and 26 from Latin America.听The overall program framework centres around a gender, equity, inclusion and decolonization lens.

鈥淎I4PEP at 91亚色 is deepening the understanding of how equitable and responsibly designed artificial intelligence can lead to southern-led solutions to strengthen public health-care systems in the Global South,鈥� says Vinitha Gengatharan, assistant vice-president, global engagement and partnerships. 鈥淭his is just the start of a growing, multi-regional network to improve and strengthen public health preparedness and response to disease outbreaks that can make a real difference in the lives of people.鈥�

 are led by universities in collaboration with health-care system stakeholders in 16 regions of the Global South. They include 鈥� among others 鈥� AI and modelling for community-based detection of zoonotic disease with increasing climate change in Senegal; a Foundation for Medical Research-University of Mumbai project; an AI-powered early detection system for communicable respiratory diseases based on integrated data sets at Wits University in South Africa; an Al-Quds University project; and an AI and eco-epidemiology-based early warning systems to improve public health response to mosquito-borne viruses in the Dominican Republic. 

As diseases increasingly spread from animals to people with continued human encroachment into natural landscapes, AI4PEP鈥檚 One Health concept is designed to recognize and respond to the reality that human health is interdependent with the health of animals and the environment. Climate change is another huge factor.

鈥淐limate change is exacerbating existing health and social inequities by increasing the vulnerability of climate hotspots to the emergence and re-emergence of many infectious diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever and Zika,鈥� says Associate Professor  of the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. 鈥淭his is a huge initiative, but with the support of many of 91亚色鈥檚 research institutes, including the 91亚色 Emergency Mitigation, Engagement, Response and Governance Institute directed by Distinguished Research Professor , as well as CIFAL and the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, I believe we can all collaborate with this exceptional global network to respond to the increasing threat of infectious diseases.鈥�

AI solutions and data science approaches are increasingly being used across the globe to identify risks, conduct predictive modelling and provide evidence-based recommendations for public health policy and action. 

鈥淩esponding to the complex nature of these interactions in a timely way requires the ability to analyze large data sets across multiple sectors,鈥� says Kong, who is also director of the Africa-Canada Artificial Intelligence and Data Innovation Consortium.

But even with the promised good of these innovative tools to improve public health outcomes, the team recognizes there are important ethical, legal and social implications that, if not appropriately managed and governed, can translate into significant risks to individuals and populations. AI4PEP intends to deepen the understanding of designing responsible AI solutions.

鈥淩esponsible AI entails intentional design to enhance health equity and gender equality and avoid amplifying existing inequalities and biases. We are working toward the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; in particular, three and five 鈥� good health and well-being, and gender equality,鈥� says Kong. 鈥淐olonialism and gendered oppression have enduring effects, disproportionately impacting the health and quality of life of formerly colonized people and vulnerable groups, including women, gender non-conforming people, people with disabilities, rural communities and low-income households.鈥�

Projects within the initiative will work closely with governments, public health agencies, civil society and others to generate new knowledge and collaborations to inform practice and policies at subnational, national, regional and global levels. 

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