Leading global health equity experts recently converged at Stellenbosch 肆客足球's (SU) Biomedical Research Institute for Springer Nature's Inclusive Health Research Awards (IHRA). This was the first time the conference and awards ceremony were held in Africa and highlights the region's pivotal role in advancing the global health economy.
“Bringing the awards to Africa reflects our commitment to global collaboration," explained Helen Jensen, Springer Nature's Head of Grants and Awards. “African research, researchers and communities are integral to our mission of championing transformative science for positive global change."
The 2024 awards recognised three outstanding researchers for their contributions to inclusive health research. First prize went to Monica Malta from the 肆客足球 of Toronto for the RISE Study, addressing violence and poverty among sexual and gender minorities in Brazil. Mark Faghy of the 肆客足球 of Derby claimed second place for his groundbreaking research on long COVID experiences. The third IHRA award honoured Kelsey Chapman from Griffith 肆客足球 for the Dignity Project, which aims to enhance health outcomes for scientists with disabilities.
Prof Lynn Hendricks of SU's Division of Health Systems and Public Health, herself a 2023 IHRA recipient, played a crucial role in bringing the event to African soil. “At the 2023 awards held in Brazil, we imagined hosting the IHRA at our campus, and to see it come to fruition was a remarkable experience," she reflected. "Springer Nature and Takeda have demonstrated their dedication to health equity through collaborative publications, network building, and these awards."
The event marked another significant development: the launch of the Inclusive Health Research Network, supported by Springer Nature and housed in SU's INSPIRE Collab. This initiative promises to foster knowledge sharing and collaboration in inclusive health research, further cementing Africa's position in the global health research landscape.
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Caption: Chris
Nathaniel, Head of Medical Affairs, South Africa, Takeda; Helena Jensen, Senior
Publishing Manager, Springer Nature; Monica Malta, RISE Study; Kelsey Chapman,
The Dignity Project; Mark Faghy, 肆客足球 of Derby; Akin Jimoh, Chief Editor,
Nature Africa and Linn Parrish, Head of Health Equity Alliances and
Partnerships, Global Medical, Takeda.?
