NIHR’s aim of the visit was to meet the local teams, understand the progress of the research, discuss the projects successes and impacts to date, provide experience and explore how NIHR may offer further support going forward.
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, (MUHAS)
MUHAS is the premier public higher learning institution for Biomedical Sciences in Tanzania since 1963.
This includes;
- 1 Campus College: Medicine
- 7 Academic Schools: Pharmacy, Dentistry, Nursing, Public Health and Social Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Clinical Medicine and Diagnostic Medicine
- 2 Academic Institutes: Traditional Medicine and Allied Health Sciences
MUHAS is part of the “Muhimbili Community”
This comprises of 3 tertiary level specialised hospitals all of which are used for Clinical Teaching, Research and Consultancy activities at MUHAS;
- Muhimbili National Hospital, (MNH)
- Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute, (JKCI)
- Muhimbili Orthopaedics’ Institute, (MOI)
Muhimbili National Hospital, MNH
- This is the main National Referral Hospital of Tanzania.
- Consists of 1,500 bed national referral hospital, caring for up to 1,000 – 1,200 outpatients daily.
- The Emergency Medicine Department, EMD, is the receiving department for all emergency referral cases at MNH.
Emergency Medicine Department, EMD, of MNH
- The EMD is staffed by highly qualified emergency physicians who are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- The EMD is the first Emergency Medicine residency training program in Tanzania.
- EMD was the main site for patient enrolment in the Multi-link cohort study.
Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute, JKCI
- This is a National Specialized Hospital for cardiovascular care established in October 2015.
- JKCI has over 100 bed capacity, all patients with cardiac related conditions are normally transferred to JKCI.
- The Institute offers advanced cardiac, cardiovascular, imaging and cardiothoracic surgical services.
Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute, MOI
- Is the National referral trauma and neurosurgical care Centre in Tanzania, established in 1996.
- MOI offers advanced services in the areas of Orthopaedics, Traumatology and Neurosurgery.
Role of MUHAS in the Project
MUHAS is one a collaborating site in Tanzania, together with Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, KCMC, in Kilimanjaro.
- Has a role in project implementation at selected cohort and trial site
- Enrolment and supporting : Training and research site for PhD candidates (in collaboration with KCMC).
- Coordination of community engagement activities.
- Coordination of engagement with policy markers (in collaboration with KCMC).
- Participation in group coordinating and steering committee meeting
MULTILINK Project
Multimorbidity – associated emergency hospital admissions: a “screen and link” strategy to improve outcomes for high-risk patients in sub-Saharan Africa.
- The co-existence of two or more chronic conditions.
- Malawi and Tanzania, MUHAS and KCMC.
- Supported by NIHR • https://multilinknihr.com/
MULTILINK Project Aims
- Measure prevalence of multimorbidity in patients who require unplanned hospital admission in Malawi and Tanzania (Y1-2) 2.
- Develop a strategy to better recognise and treat multimorbidity using point-of-care tests incorporated within existing health systems (Y2-3) 3.
- Test the strategy to determine if it improves hospital readmission free survival three months after initial presentation (Y3-4).
NIHR mission is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research.
