Implementation Science Collaboration on Urban Health in East Africa: Approach and Partnership Results

Summary

USAID’s Health Evaluation and Applied Research Development (HEARD) Project, implemented by University Research Co., LLC (URC), was invited to study nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in East Africa. This afforded an opportunity to maximize the research investment to advance the field and achieve a broader set of objectives, such as: 1. Establish and sustain an inclusive collaboration in East Africa to identify urban health priorities and studies; 2. Leverage the study opportunity to advance the urban nutrition and WASH agenda in the region through an implementation science approach; and 3. Execute an IS approach that included a stakeholder-engaged study design with wide utility; 4. Share process results and findings and enable implementation science advocacy and capacity development among partners.