DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENERGY & INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Africa Research Universities Alliance, Centre of Excellence for Non-Communicable Diseases

Project disclaimer

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Description

Context. The rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) threatens to roll back the progress that has been made in health and development of Africa. Globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that in 2008, there were 36 million deaths from NCDs, projected to rise to 50 million by 2050. In 2008, these deaths were mainly from cardiovascular diseases (48%), cancers (21%), chronic respiratory diseases (12%) and diabetes (3.5%), with 80% of all the deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. In Sub-Saharan Africa, WHO estimates that 23% of all deaths are from NCDs, and projected to grow to 27% by 2020. What is however not clear, due to lack of data from the continent, is the distribution of among the key NCDs. The rise in NCDs in Africa places a tremendous social and economic burden on communities through increased absenteeism, job loss, unaffordable medical costs, increased responsibilities from family members for care-giving, or complete loss of income from death of the breadwinner. The loss of income (partial or complete) pushes low income households further into the poverty trap. On a broader scale, the combined effect of decreased labour outputs, lower return on human capital investments, increased healthcare costs, and loss of economic activity, leads to increasing inequalities not only within populations, but between countries. The four common NCDs - cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes - have four shared behavioural risk factors: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and harmful alcohol use. These are in conjunction with other conditions including mental disorders, disabilities (including blindness and deafness), violence and injuries. To achieve a reduction in the levels of NCDs, there must be a concerted effort to bring about behaviour change through evidence-based approaches by conducting localised research and training. Aims and Objectives. The ARUA Centre of Excellence on NCDs (ACE-NCDs) provides a platform for the creation of a long-term strategic network of researchers in African Universities through a hub and spoke model to strengthen intra-African collaboration, and collaboration between the network and the rest of the world. The ACE-NCD will build on the strengths of the core university members, University of Nairobi (Kenya and the Hub), University of Ghana, University of Ibadan (Nigeria), Makerere University (Uganda) and the University of the Witwatersrand (S. Africa). At its inception, the ACE-NCD has also partnered with the University of Leicester and University of Glasgow who shall support its development. In addition, the ACE-NCD will bring on board relevant stakeholders involved in prevention, control and management of NCDs within their regions including medical research institutions, relevant professionals, policy-makers, civil society to ensure co-design and co-production of high impact research output that shall be support policy-making, interventions, and commercialisable intellectual property. Continental and regional teams will be supported to develop grant proposals around the ACE-NCD thematic areas, thus ensuring sustainability and growth of ACE-NCD beyond the current grant. Potential Application and Benefits. ACE-NCDs seeks to build capacity in holistic NCD research through training of Masters and PhD students (while ensuring co-supervision across member universities), targetted short courses in need-identified areas, staff and student exchanges, among other interventions. Dissemination of research output will be through journal and conference articles and book chapters targeting researchers and practitioners, policy-briefs, workshops and seminars aimed at policy-makers, stakeholders and civil society. The envisioned outcome as a result of this capacity building funding is a vibrant, sustainable ACE-NCD at the forefront of NCD research, capacity-building and policymaking support in Africa.

Objectives

The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.

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Location

The country, countries or regions that benefit from this Programme.

Africa, regional

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