28/01/2026
CHORUS Partners Meet in Accra to Reflect on Urban Works and Strengthen Collaboration
Partners of the Community-led Responsive and Effective Urban Health Systems (CHORUS) Research Consortium convened in Accra, Ghana, from 26 to 28 January 2026 for a three-day partners’ meeting focused on reviewing progress, sharing lessons, and strengthening collaboration on urban health systems research.
The meeting brought together institutions including the University of Leeds, University of York, University of Ghana, University of Nigeria (Health Policy Research Group), BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, ARK Foundation Bangladesh, and HERD International Nepal, alongside the CHORUS central team and representatives from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Across the three days, partners presented key findings from CHORUS projects in Ghana, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Nepal, with discussions focused around core research pillars and cross-cutting themes such as governance, equity, and service delivery in urban settings. Participants reflected on shared challenges faced by rapidly urbanising cities and the importance of comparative, city-focused evidence to inform health systems strengthening.
The meeting also discussed ways to promote research evidence and identify pathways through which research has informed policy dialogue, practice, and capacity strengthening.
Dedicated sessions were held on research uptake planning, dissemination strategies, and sustainability of evidence use beyond the CHORUS programme cycle. Partners further collaborated in cross-partner writing groups to progress joint papers and synthesis outputs.
Additional discussions also covered progress against programme indicators, gender and equity considerations, innovation fund project activities, and opportunities for future collaboration, conferences, and funding proposals beyond CHORUS.
As one of the CHORUS consortium partners, HERD International contributes to urban health research in Nepal by generating evidence and engaging with stakeholders to support informed decision-making.
