AFrica Focus on Intervention Research for Mental health (AFFIRM)
AFFIRM is a research and capacity development Hub established in 6 countries: South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Ethiopia.
It has the following aims:
- To investigate strategies for narrowing the treatment gap for mental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa, through conducting two randomised controlled trials, one each in South Africa and Ethiopia.
- To build individual and institutional capacity for intervention research in sub-Saharan Africa,
- To establish a network of collaboration between researchers, NGOs and government agencies that facilitates the translation of research knowledge into policy and practice and
- To collaborate with other regional hubs.
AFFIRM is funded by the National Institutes of Health under RFA-MH-11-070: Collaborative Hubs for International Development.
The project brings together a multidisciplinary partnership of some of the leading individuals and research institutions in sub-Saharan Africa, government and NGOs, and international investigators in the UK and USA, while enjoying excellent support from Ministries of Health in the study countries.
AFFIRM Annual Meeting 2014, University of Cape Town