1. University of Benin: Leading a Regional Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Research and Innovation

2. Presentation Format Development Challenge addressed by ACE
Academic and Research Programs
Regional Student Plan
Industry/Sector Partnership
Sustainable Financing Plan
Implementation Arrangements
Procurement Arrangements

3. West Africa: A Region with Contradictions
High population growth with huge youth budge
Rich mineral resource, with high economic growth rate
Yet high rates of poverty and underdevelopment
Political instability, climate change and rising sectarian tension pose great threats to the region

4. Comparative Health Indicators Between WA Countries and Sweden
Nigeria
Ghana
Sweden
Population Growth Rate %
2.8
2.2
0.7
Fertility Rate
5.5
4.1
1.9
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate
10.5
23.5 78
Maternal mortality rate
630
350
4.0
Neonatal mortality rate 48 28
2.0

5. Poor Health Indicators: A developmental challenge in WA
The WHO has estimated that it would take Nigeria up to 150 years to reach the same level of health indicators with those of Western countries.
The relevant question is: How can West Africa accelerate the pace of change to ensure that they reach this goal sooner than later?
The answer lies in fostering and integrating the reproductive health approach to overall development

6. Definition of Reproductive Health
A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity of the reproductive system – WHO
The Constellation of methods, techniques and services that contribute to RH and well-being. It includes sexual health, designed to enhance the quality of life and personal relations: ICPD POA, 1994

7. Components of Reproductive Health (1)
Family Planning counselling, information, education, communication and services
Prevention and management of infertility
Safe motherhood, including the prevention of perinatal, infant and under-five deaths
Prevention and management of unsafe abortion and its consequences

8. Components of Reproductive Health (2)
Prevention and treatment of reproductive tract infections, including STIs and HIV/AIDS
Prevention and management of gender-based violence, including female genital cutting, and human sex trafficking
Management and prevention of genital tract cancers
Information and research on human sexuality, reproductive health and responsible parenthood

9. RH: Decades of Slow Progress in Africa
Unfortunately, slow progress was made in many countries between 1994 and 2014 in the adoption and uptake of these principles
Africa still has the highest rates of adverse reproductive health outcomes – high fertility rates, high rates of HIV, and gender-based violence
These are contributing to the region’s under-development and poor human development indices.

10. Why has RH been slow to take effect in Africa?
Poor integration of RH into regional developmental agenda
Low capacity to carry out RH interventions
Poor country ownership, with RH agenda driven by international interests
Limited understanding of RH and the lack of political will to make effective policies and take decided actions

11. Post-ICPD Sustainable Development Agenda
Country ownership in RH policies and programming
Strengthening the capacity of countries to carry out research and innovation in RH that address their specific needs
Building and sustaining RH leaderships
Building political commitments to address RH

12. Centre of Excellence in RH Research and Innovation (CEHRI): Program Goals
To act as a training hub for the next generation of leaders in RH in West Africa.
To stimulate indigenous research and innovation in RH needed to drive policies and programs in the region
To mobilize local, regional and international support for improving RH in WA

13. CERHI’s Key Strategic Objectives
Improve regional capacity to deliver high quality training in RH
Increase capacity to carry out applied research in RH in the region
Build and use industry/sector partnerships to enhance impact of the Center on social development
Strengthen regional and international academic partnerships to raise quality of RH education in other institutions in the region.
Enhance governance and management to support the integration and implementation of the program.

14. Four Key Activities of CERHI
Develop improved governance infrastructure (including fund raising and financial governance) for project sustainability
Review and development of curricular for short courses, bachelors, MSc and PhD in 9 different courses across 6 WA partner institutions
Improve teaching and learning facilities and related capacity building in RH courses;
Purchase and improve capacity for basic, operations, intervention and translational research in RH

15. CERHI Departments and Courses
Short term
courses
BSc, MBBS
MSc , M.Phil or MPH
PhD/MD/Post-Doc
Medicine
Yes -
Fellows and MDs
Public Health
Reprod Health
Nursing
RH Physiology
Med Biochem
Reprod. Anatomy
Medical Lab Scs
Med Sociology
Hlth Economics
Reprod Hlth Law

16. Plan for attracting Regional Students and Faculties
Strategic communication of CERHI’s activities
Interactive online platform available on admission of students and scholars
Scholarships to support the admission of students
Establishment of International Students hostel & intl Scholars Residential Area
Provision of bilingual facilities

17. CERHI’S Academic Partners
Regional
University of Benin
University of Ibadan
Ahmadu Bello University
University of Ghana
Nigerian Institute for Medical Research
University of Benin, Cotonou

18. CERHI’s Academic Partners
International
University of Aberdeen
Harvard School of Public Health
University of California, Berkeley
University of Ottawa, Canada
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
World Health Organization

19. Collaborating Sector Planners
Ministries of Health, Education, Women Affairs and Finance
National Universities Commission
National Planning Commission, National Bureau of Statistics and National Population Commission
International and Local Development Organizations (e.g. UN organizations, bilaterals and multilaterals, Foundations, Dangote, TY Danjuma, etc)
Industry – e.g. General Electric
Civil Society Organizations

20. 4 Activities for Externally Sustained Funding
Resource mobilization Committee
Friends of CERHI Fund
Funding Mobilization from Alumni
Capacity building of staff and PG students in Grant Proposal writing and research fund-raising

21. 4 Activities for Achieving the Quality Benchmarks (DLI)
M&E committee and training of Desk officer
Key officials to follow up on the implementation of the DLIs
ICT platforms to drive the implementation and achievement of the DLIs
Collaborative ownership of the project by partner institutions, with continuous feedback provided

22. Key selected Disbursement Linked Indicators (selected DLIs)
Baseline- 2013
Projected for 2017
New/revised
RH Courses  0 34
# Partnership
Agreements 20
New PhDs
New Masters
New Short courses 18
104
270
510
1,200
# of published
Articles
 20 80
External Revenue
$8.0 Million

23. 3 Success Factors/Innovative Features of CERHI
It’s focus on RH and integration into development – a neglected field in WA
It’s potential to leverage funds from diverse local and international sources
It’s multi-disciplinary focus, enabling it to build high level collaboration and partnerships, for achieving ground-breaking discoveries

24. CEHRI Core Values and Principles
Collaborative Partnership and Joint Project Ownership
Transparency and Accountability
“Can Do Spirit” as epitomized by timely results reporting
Forward-looking commitment