Building collaborations with the World Health Organisation

The SOFAR team in Zimbabwe, comprising Dr. Constance Mackworth-Young and Prof. Katharina Kranzer, recently met with Dr. Thenjiwe Sisimayi and Precious Paidamoyo Andifasi from the World Health Organization (WHO) to discuss potential collaborations that could enhance the impact of the SOFAR project

During the meeting, the team shared the SOFAR project’s vision and introduced the work of two PhD fellows whose research will contribute to national health priorities. The discussion unveiled several exciting opportunities for collaboration, including the possibility of placing SOFAR fellows within the WHO country office to gain practical experience in policy and implementation. The team also explored the involvement of SOFAR fellows in the National Public Health Institute (NPHI) steering committee to deepen their engagement with national health policy dialogues.

Additionally, the potential for collaborating to co-supervise SOFAR fellows, enriching both their academic and practical experiences.

The meeting also touched on the inclusion of WHO colleagues and partners in some of the courses that The Health Research Unit Zimbabwe (THRU ZIM) runs, such as supervisor training and geospatial mapping.