My research expertise and interests cover three inter-connected areas: health systems, health policies and capacity strengthening. Specific topics include health policy analysis | evidence-informed policymaking | health systems assessment & strengthening | health systems responsiveness | capacity assessments & strengthening | governance, planning, management | information systems | human resources | equity and social inclusion | urban health.

My research has been funded, following competitive processes, by the following major funders: the UK Research Councils (MRC, ESRC, APHRC, Research England), NIHR, FCDO/DFID, EC and WHO. Geographically, virtually all my research is in low- and middle-income countries involving equitable partnerships with academic institutions, NGOs and policymakers. In terms of health areas, my health policy and systems research has been applied to maternal health and, increasingly, to mental health and non-communicable diseases. Methodologically, my work is primarily qualitative and increasingly cross-disciplinary and mixed-methods, with multiple projects employing theory-driven realist evaluation approaches.

On health systems, I’m currently joint Director of NIHR Global Health Research Centre for Non-communicable Disease Control in West Africa (Stop-NCD), leading the RESPONSE study which aims to better understand and improve health systems responsiveness in Ghana and Vietnam; and co-leading a health policy analysis work in AdoWA project on adolescents mental, sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing in West Africa (Burkina Faso, Ghana and Niger). In the past, I led the REVAMP study of effectiveness of a national maternal and child health programme in Nigeria; the RESPOND study of patient feedback systems in Bangladesh; HESVIC study of health systems governance in India, Vietnam and China; and the design of the intervention to improve mental health information systems in Ghana and South Africa in the MHAPP consortium. I have also jointly led research methodology in PERFORM study of decentralised management to improve staff performance in Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania; and implementation research on improving local acceptability of village midwives amongst ethnic minority communities in Vietnam.

On health policies, I am currently leading research on evidence-informed mental health policymaking in India within on-going SAMA study. I have jointly led the AMIPS study, which focused on understanding and improving the implementation of medicines pricing policies in Ghana. In the past, I have also led assessment of research-policy pathways in the Big Picture project; research into the role of evidence in the development of six health policies in India and Nigeria in the EVAL-HEALTH project; assessment of data-driven health planning for urban health in Bangladesh, Nepal and Vietnam from SUE project; and examination of evidence-informed policymaking in India, Vietnam and China within HEPVIC study.

On capacity strengthening, my work entails leading and coordinating work related to individual and organisational capacity strengthening within multi-partner consortia. I’m currently capacity strengthening advisor within CHoRUS programme which focuses on urban health systems in Bangladesh, Ghana, Nepal and Nigeria; and have been capacity lead within IMPACT consortium which focused on physical and mental multi-morbidity in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. In the past, I led assessments of capacities of seven African universities with regards to health policy and systems research in the CHEPSAA consortium.

My further work on social inclusion included leadership of the SINC-Urban study of social inclusion within sustainable urban developments in Nigeria and Vietnam; and contributions to the Socially Inclusive Cities project which focused on social inclusion in Kenya, Nigeria, Vietnam and India, and its follow-on Partnerships for Equity and Inclusion.