Hararghe Health Research Center Marks 10th Anniversary, Showcasing Decade of Impact on Maternal and Child Health
Marking a decade of dedicated scientific inquiry and public health service, the Hararghe Health Research (HHR) Center recently hosted a high-level field visit and awareness-raising event to showcase its community impact.
The event brought together top leadership from Haramaya University, delegates including the President and senior researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), and key local stakeholders to assess the center’s community-level impact.
Established through a strategic partnership between Haramaya University and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the HHR Center has spent the last ten years focusing heavily on maternal health, child mortality prevention, and the underlying causes of infant death.
During the field visit, delegates toured operations at the Fiqile Health Center in Haramaya town and the Kersa field site, observing maternal tracking systems, antenatal care provisions, and community engagement initiatives, including educational dramas designed to raise health awareness.
Prof. Mengistu Urgie, Academic Vice President of Haramaya University, emphasized the institution’s national role in building international research collaborations to uplift local communities. He noted that the center’s data-driven insights have been vital inputs to national health policies. Furthermore, Prof. Mengistu announced that discussions are actively underway to extend the research partnership for another decade.
According to Prof. Nega Assefa, Lead Researcher at the HHR Center, the institution has spearheaded over 16 major research projects over the past ten years, with six fully completed and ten currently ongoing.
“Through targeted research conducted across East Hararghe, we have successfully identified critical health bottlenecks affecting mothers and children,” Prof. Nega stated. “By implementing rigorous prenatal monitoring and early medical interventions, we have significantly curtailed pregnancy-related health complications and drastically reduced child mortality in the region. Several of our findings have been submitted directly to the government to inform national health policy.”
Operations Manager Mrs. Yenenesh Tilahun added that the month-long anniversary celebrations served not only to reflect on a decade of scientific achievements and community solidarity, but also to reaffirm stakeholder commitment for the years ahead.
The impact of the center’s clinical interventions was underscored by personal testimonies from beneficiaries. Mrs. Saliya Ibrahim, a local mother who previously suffered tragic child loss during prior pregnancies, shared her emotional journey of receiving specialized monitoring and medical care through the HHR Center, which enabled her to safely deliver a healthy child. She expressed profound gratitude to Haramaya University and the research team for giving her family a second chance.
The visiting delegation from LSHTM, alongside Haramaya University executives, also toured the operations of the Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized University Hospital in Harar to evaluate clinical infrastructure and academic-medical integration.
Reporter:- Aweke Ayalneh
Photographer:- Behailu Girma
Haramaya University, Public and International Relations
Tags: 10th Anniversary, child health, Community Health, Decade of Impact, Eastern Ethiopia, Ethiopia, global health, Haramaya University, Hararghe Health Research Center, Health Impact, Maternal and Child Health, Maternal Mortality, Medical Research, Oromia, public health research
