Research Divisions

HEIR’s research is organized into specialized divisions designed to address Africa’s most pressing health challenges.

African Vaccine Equity, Safety & Science

Examining barriers to vaccine access and acceptance, generating evidence to improve uptake, trust, and implementation science.

Lead:Dr Sahabi Kabir Sulaiman, MBBS, MSc

Members:

Dr Aminu Ahmad, MBBS, MPH, MSc

Core Focus Areas

Vaccine hesitancy and acceptance drivers
Safety monitoring and risk communication
Policy-relevant vaccine research
Community engagement and education

African Child, Maternal and Women’s Health

Dedicated to advancing child survival and developmental outcomes through evidence-based interventions in low-resource settings.

Lead:Dr Fatima Ismail-Tsiga-Ahmed

Members:

Dr Zaynab Yahaya Aliyu, BDS

Core Focus Areas

Childhood immunization and vaccine coverage
Neonatal and early childhood wellness
Nutrition and growth monitoring
Pediatric health system delivery models

African Cardiometabolic & Chronic Disease

Addressing the growing burden of NCDs through population-level research and prevention-focused health system models.

Lead:Dr Abdulaziz Tijjani Bako, MBBS, MPH, PhD

Members:

Dr Abdulqadir Dalhatu AbdulqadirDr Muhammad Sale Musa, MBBS, MSc

Core Focus Areas

Obesity, diabetes, and hypertension
Lifestyle and behavioral risk factors
Long-term disease prevention models
Health system readiness for chronic care

Tropical Medicine & Infectious Diseases

Leading research on epidemic-prone and endemic diseases affecting African populations, supporting preparedness and control strategies.

Lead:Dr Saidu Idris Ahmad, MBBS, MSc

Members:

Dr Said Sulaiman, BSc, MSc, MBBSS

Core Focus Areas

HIV, tuberculosis, Mpox, and COVID-19
Surveillance of emerging infectious diseases
Disease transmission dynamics
Clinical and community response strategies

Clinical Trials in the Tropics

Designing and evaluating community-driven models for equitable healthcare delivery in hard-to-reach populations.

Lead:Dr Musa Sani Danazumi BScPhysio, MSc, PhD

Members:

Musa Maimako Haruna, BSc (Hons), MScDr Aminu Ahmad, MBBS, MPH, MSc.

Core Focus Areas

Rural health access and service delivery
Community-based intervention models
Health education and behavior change
Implementation research in low-resource settings