Ensuring Healthy Development Among the Poor

The Implementation Science Collaboration on Urban Health in East Africa was born out of an initial round table consultation hosted by the East, Central and Southern African Health Community (ECSA-HC) which identified critical nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) evidence gaps in the region. The Collaboration’s combination of policy advocacy and practical research influenced a regional Health Minister’s resolution (“ECSA/HMC/67/R3”). The resolution underscores the importance of evidence-based approaches that serve the specific needs of the urban poor.  Within the national contexts of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, the stakeholder-engaged process accelerated advances related to policy, program and future research needs for children and adolescents in urban poor settings.