http://www.aphrc.org A global center of excellence, consistently delivering sound scientific evidence for policy and action Findings from the Masculinities Study http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=996 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=996 2012-01-24 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=989 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=989 2011-12-02 Provision of free medical camps http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=987 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=987 2011-11-19 A school upgrading program http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=622 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=622 2011-11-02 Findings stir debate on diseases http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=925 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=925 2011-11-02 Training of health workers http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=487 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=487 2011-11-01 Provision of free medical camps http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=588 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=588 2011-11-01 APHRC has launched a national malaria drug outlets survey in Kenya. The survey dubbed the AMfM (Affordable medicines for malaria) outlets survey is expected to evaluate the Global Fund's initiative of providing Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACTs) drugs for malaria in Kenya at subsidized costs since http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=949 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=949 2011-10-27 The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has granted APHRC a three year funding to undertake research on reproductive health and demographic and livelihood issues among the urban poor in sub-Saharan Africa. This major grant which will cost close to US $ 3 million will have four major components: research and evidence gathering, research capacity strengthening on urban health issues, policy engagement and advocacy and building strategic partnerships with other urban health research institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=951 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=951 2011-10-27 The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is a non-profit, non-governmental international organization committed to conducting high quality and policy-relevant research on population and health issues facing sub-Saharan Africa. As part of its contribution to strengthening individual and institutional research capacity to enable African researchers fully participate in defining and implementing priority population and health programs in the continent, APHRC has developed several research capacity strengthening initiatives. One of these initiatives is the research internship program. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=945 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=945 2011-10-26 L'African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), avec l'appui de le Centre de Recherche pour le Développement International (CRDI) a le plaisir de lancer le 5e appel à candidatures pour les Bourses Africaines de Recherche pour la Rédaction de Thèse (ADDRF). ADDRF 2012 a pour but de faciliter un engagement plus rigoureux des étudiants en thèse de doctorat dans la recherche; renforcer leurs capacités à faire la recherche ainsi qu'offrir aux boursiers l'opportunité de terminer à temps la rédaction de leur thèse. La bourse vise les étudiants en thèse de doctorat engagés vers une carrière en formation et/ou en recherche. Le but général d'ADDRF est d'appuyer la formation et le maintien de spécialistes dans la région, formée localement dans le secteur académique et de la recherche. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=948 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=948 2011-10-26 'I have basically lost everything. My life has been turned upside down!' laments Catherine Wamaitha who is one of the Viwandani residents still trying to come to terms with life in the aftermath of the tragic fire blaze that almost literally wiped out the entire Sinai village in Viwandani in the morning of 12th September 2011. For a day that started normally like any other, she can't still understand how chaos straight from hell descended on the residents. The Sinai Village probably acquired its name from the Biblical mount Sinai where Moses received the 10 commandments engulfed in white clouds, however for the residents of Viwandani this cloud was black-cloud of fire, smoke and death. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=939 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=939 2011-09-14 APHRC in collaboration with the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) is holding a three-day training workshop on enhancing access of online information resources from September 12 � 14, 2011 at the APHRC Campus in Kitisuru.The training funded by INASP aims to boost searching and retrieval skills, scientific publishing information , document delivery and information sharing through electronic databases among other topics, among researchers and information personnel. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=936 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=936 2011-09-14 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=933 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=933 2011-08-15 As part of the 2011 Maternal Health Dialogue Series the Woodrow Wilson Center's Global Health Initiative is partnering with the African Population and Health Research Center to convene a series of technical meetings on improving maternal health in Kenya. The 20 Kenyan experts attending the workshop in Nairobi also shared their strategies and action points with a live audience in Washington, DC during a video conference discussion. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=932 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=932 2011-08-15 The continent's premier health and population research center has a new home in Kitisuru, Nairobi. Staff officially moved to the Sh416 million premises on June 2, 2011. The complex will host all departments of the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) and also boasts ultra-modern training facilities. The move coincides with the tenth anniversary of the organisation which has recorded solid achievements in improving the quality of life in Africa through policy-relevant research. Established in 1995 as a programme of the Population Council, the center became an autonomous in 2001 and bases its work on http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=915 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=915 2011-06-06 Non communicable diseases are no longer a preserve of the affluent in society. Research conducted by African Population and Health Center (APHRC) in Korogocho and http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=896 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=896 2011-04-18 Participants pose for a picture at the end of the two day research communication summit held in Abuja,Nigeria running from 13th to 14th December,2010 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=864 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=864 2011-02-02 The Population Dynamics and Reproductive Health Theme at APHRC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, Division of Reproductive Health (DRH), successfully disseminated findings of a study entitled ‘Menstrual Practices and the Suitability of the Menstrual Cups for School Girls and Women in Kenya' at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, on November 23, 2010. The three-year study started in 2008 with funding from the Department for International Development (DfID), and was carried out among schoolgirls and women from Korogocho and Jericho in Nairobi. Hon. Elizabeth Ongoro, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development and Member of Parliament for Kasarani, officially opened the workshop. Her constituency contributed a large number of participants in the study. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=857 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=857 2011-01-21 Most of the Center's research activities are conducted in poor slum settlements in Nairobi. As a responsible corporate citizen, APHRC conducts several activities in these communities to improve the wellbeing of residents. The activities include: http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=855 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=855 2011-01-10 A special training workshop for researchers, policy makers, journalists, and information, communication and public affairs officers in government, parastatals, private companies, community-based organizations, and NGOs. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=850 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=850 2010-12-03 The African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) are pleased to announce the fourth Call of the ADDRF awards. The fellowship program awards dissertation fellowships to African doctoral students enrolled in sub-Saharan Africa universities who are conducting health-systems or sexuality related research. By providing financial and research support, the program aims at encouraging doctoral students to pursue their training in the region, and thus contribute to the quality of university education in sub-Saharan Africa. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=795 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=795 2010-10-15 A visit to primary schools in Korogocho slums by the city Director of Education Mr. Joseph Musaba exposed the adverse conditions under which education takes place http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=770 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=770 2010-09-27 Joint talks between the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) and the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) were held on 15th September 2010 at the APHRC offices. The meeting is a follow-up on discussions initiated on 13th August 2010 by the two institutions on ways to collaborate on issues of research capacity strengthening in Africa. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=761 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=761 2010-09-21 This workshop is expected to empower participants with skills of effectively communicating Research findings to targeted audiences, how to synthesize and use Research results to leverage evidence-based decision making and also how to bring Research to Policy and Action. The course content will incorporate different organizational case studies in Research Communication from different research institutions as well as seek to make participants understand http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=710 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=710 2010-09-07 The recent research findings by the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) on what may be contributing to poor performance by pupils in mathematics is mind-boggling. The report by APHRC showed teachers could be the source of poor performance. It blames the poor performance on ignorance among teachers. The organisation tested mathematics skills of students from many schools and the average score was 60 per cent for teachers while the average score for the students was 46 per cent. The report indicate some teachers scored as low as 17 per cent while the highest obtained 90 per cent. The study covered 72 primary schools and tested 2,437 pupils and 211 primary school teachers. Head teachers of the covered schools were also tested. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=709 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=709 2010-08-31 How important is the mother's breast milk to a child during the first two years of infancy? This may seem a simple question, but most Kenyan mothers are yet to fully appreciate how indispensible breast milk is to the infant. This was a noted concern during the launch of the national breastfeeding week (16th - 20th August) in Bondo District, Nyanza Province. UNICEF and WHO recommend that children be exclusively breastfed during the first six months of life and that children be given solid complimentary foods in addition to continued breastfeeding from 6 months until 24 months or more when the child is fully weaned. However, according to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2008 – 2009, about 97% of children are breastfed at some point and only 32% of children under age of six months are exclusively breastfed.. This means that many mothers are still not 'breastfeeding savvy'. This years' breastfeeding week themed'Just 10 steps; Breastfeeding the baby friendly way' seeks to educate mothers on the 10 steps of ensuring effective breast feeding. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=704 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=704 2010-08-20 The conference objectives are to: Address policy and research issues on the quality of education in Kenya, Share evidence on the best teaching practices in primary schools in Kenya, Provide a platform for continuous sharing of best teaching practices among policymakers, researchers and practicing teachers, Engage stakeholders and development partners and identify areas of collaboration and mechanisms for improving the quality of teaching, and Explore other areas for further research in quality of education http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=644 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=644 2010-08-11 Poverty and lack of education have been identified as the key challenges impeding access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services among the urban poor in Kenya's slums. Participants in two community consultations organized by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) respectively held in Korogocho and Viwandani slums of Nairobi in late July also complained of inadequate healthcare facilities in the slums. 'Some of us want to use family planning services but we don't know how. There are no hospitals here to give us proper information and services. That is why some women go for cheaply available options whose dangers and efficacy are unknown. The government should help us by providing information and services free of charge or at a rate affordable to us,' said a participant. The community consultations, which brought together men and women participants from these informal settlements, provided an opportunity for the residents to openly discuss their SRH concerns with government officials and the media. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=642 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=642 2010-08-09 On the evening of Tuesday, 27th July, 2010, some senior staff at APHRC had the pleasure of taking Mr. Jimmy Whitworth from Wellcome Trust for a site visit to the new APHRC's offices under construction in Kitisuru, on the western outskirts of Nairobi. Mr. Whitworth is the Head of International Activities at Wellcome Trust which is one of the Center's primary funders since inception. Present during the 30 minute on-site tour were the Center's theme leaders Dr. Moses Oketch (Education), Prof. Charles Okigbo (Policy Engagement) as well as Mr. Joseph Gichuru, the Head of Finance and Administration and Finance. Mr. Whitworth was in Nairobi to attend the meeting of the board of the Consortium for National Health Research (CNHR), one of the beneficiaries of the Wellcome Trust in Kenya. Upon completion the office complex which is located on a 6-acre plot of land will be large enough to accommodate office blocks in two towers on four floors, an amphitheatre, seminar rooms, a restaurant, 40 self-contained residential rooms, and recreational facilities. The completion date for the building is scheduled for early 2011, in time for APHRC's 10th anniversary celebrations. The partnership between the APHRC and Wellcome Trust dates back to the early years of the Center's independent existence, and the highlight is the Trust's support for the Urbanization, Poverty and Health Dynamics (UPHD) program which was initiated in 2006.The UPHD has six interrelated projects that investigate the effects of poverty and migration on health outcomes across the life course. This program has yielded useful research evidence that has been used to engage policy makers on various health-related issues. For instance, with regard to maternal health, findings about the high maternal mortality and poor obstetric services in the slums have led to the launch of a campaign by both Ministries of Health – Ministry of Medical Services and Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation – seeking to bring to the fore the gravity of the maternal situation not only in the slums but in the entire country leading to family planning materials being a budget line item. http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=636 http://www.aphrc.org/insidepage?articleid=636 2010-07-30