Diversity in Health Economics: An Early Career Researcher’s View

Diversity-in-health-economics

 Exploring Adolescent Health in Malawi: A Journey through Longitudinal Insights

Welcome to our blog, where we embark on a fascinating journey investigating the   complexities of early adolescent health and well-being in the vibrant landscape of Malawi. Join us as we explain the stories, challenges, and triumphs encountered in our...

Navigating New Horizons: A PhD Student’s Reflections and Discoveries

~ by Velia Manyonga -University of Strathclyde (Scotland) I was very excited when I was offered the scholarship to study PhD in Social Policy with the University of Strathclyde. For years, I harbored a strong desire to further my education, but financial constraints...

Tackling Adverse Childhood Events, A Key to Achieving Adolescents’ Health Rights

On this World Health Day, we advocate for the fundamental right to health for all, including adolescents who are shaping our future. However, for many young people, their health journey is marred by the shadow of Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs), which profoundly...

Leveraging water for peace: a way to go! Understanding young people’s experiences would be helpful, right?

Lack of access to safe and adequate water supply remains a challenge globally, but especially in sub-Saharan Africa. With a predominately youthful population in this region, this is a challenge that continues to blight the lives of young people. In Malawi nearly half...

Altering Perspective – Reflection from initial days of my PhD Journey

I have worked in research since 2014, but this years’ experience from data collection in the field has completely changed my perspective on quite an important issue we often talk about. I was very excited to start our formative data collection exercise, where our work...

Formative Research in Full Swing!

After many months of collaborating across disciplines and expertise between University of Strathclyde, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences and Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences the teams were delighted to depart to the field to begin their engagement...

NIHR – GHRG In-Person Consortium Meeting: Glasgow 2023 -A Gathering for Progress and Innovation

The In-Person NIHR-GHRG Consortium Meeting for the year 2023, held in Glasgow from September 4th to 8th, was a resounding success. This annual event is requirement from our funding authority, the NIHR, serving as a critical juncture for monitoring progress, reflecting...

Annual Research Group Meeting 4-8 September 2023: Glasgow

WS Leads, research team members and the Programme Management Group will meet in-person in Glasgow from 4 - 8 September 2023 to track progress against milestones and indicators set out in the Project Plan. The GHRG will also host a Networking event on the 7th of...

Co-creating Mental Health: inspiration from collaboration with New York University

Mental Health is a key strand to the partnership between University of Strathclyde and New York University (NYU). There is a shared passion for the co-creation of initiatives with local communities, and also for harnessing the healing powers of arts and skills’...

PhD Studentships 2023 – 2026

We are delighted to announce that the rigorous selection process for our PhD Studentships has been successfully completed, and we are thrilled to welcome two outstanding candidates to the Global Health Research Group on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing in Malawi....

October 28, 2023

Attending the International Health Economics Association (IHEA) Congress was an incredibly insightful and enriching experience. The event brought together a diverse group of health economists from all over the world.

Pre-Congress Sessions:

 The first couple of days were very insightful. I spent my time learning about healthcare resource tracking and the National Health Accounts, and the status of implementation across the world. The speakers from the World Health Organisation, Global Financing Facility and regional representatives were insightful. I also had the opportunity to attend sessions that were designated for early career researchers.

Congress and Networking:

The congress was packed with a wide range of sessions and workshops, making it challenging to choose which ones to attend. I focused on topics related to resource tracking, healthcare priority setting and resource allocation, and economic evaluation of health interventions. The Q&A sessions following the presentations allowed for engaging discussions and the opportunity to ask questions to experts in the field. My favourite session was chaired by health economists from the Ministry of Health of Malawi, and they shared their experience implementing resource tracking tools. The session was very informative as it addressed some key issues for my PhD work.

Along with the sessions, the organisers also hosted galas and dinners which were great opportunities for networking. Alec introduced me to health economists working in different sectors. I also had the opportunity to mingle with several classmates. 

Key Takeaways and Reflection:

 I left with a deeper understanding of current trends and challenges in health economics, as well as a network of contacts that I plan to stay in touch with. The knowledge and insights gained from the various sessions will undoubtedly impact my work and contribute to my professional growth in the field. 

Lastly, the choice of venue for the congress was excellent. The amazing view of the Table Mountain, ocean, and the beautiful city, coupled with delicious wines, made for a once in lifetime experience. Overall, my experience at the IHEA Congress was both educational and inspiring. (Blog by Monica P. Malata: Health Economics PhD Candidate at the Kamuzu University of Health and Applied Sciences in Malawi, 2023)

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