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.
