Background: In Togo, men who have sex with men (MSM) experience disproportionately high rates of human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), with prevalence at 13% compared to the countrywide general HIV prevalence of 2.5%. Mobile phone adoption has grown rapidly in West Africa in recent years and mobile health (mHealth) provides an opportunity to engage high-risk populations in HIV prevention, treatment and care (PTC). This study focuses on the text messaging component of a mHealth program and resulting linkages to PTC in Lomé, Togo.
Methods: We used a mixed-methods approach to collect...
In Ghana, abortion is restricted except on a few legal grounds. About 11% of maternal deaths in Ghana are due to unsafe abortion. This study investigated the association between abortion motivation (the primary reason women sought abortion) and abortion safety.
Our long-time partner, Evangeline Dushimeyesu from the Rwanda Health Initiative for Youth and Women, highlighted our joint innovation—a telemedicine model for medication abortion—at the 2025 Transform Africa Summit this week. The work was featured prominently in a plenary session aligned with the conference theme, "AI for Africa: Innovate Locally, Impact...
Using community-based participatory research, Bhavya Joshi collaborates with refugee women to address maternal health crises, gender-based violence, and family planning. Her work highlights urgent healthcare gaps and empowers communities to shape solutions, aiming to reach marginalized populations first and drive sustainable policy change. Click here to see her and her teams with refugees to support women's health.
Victoria Lee, Drexler Anthony T. Madamba, Kendy Mendoza, and Hazel Warner, undergraduate students from Ndola Prata's PH181 course, Poverty and Population, have been in touch with Congressional Representatives in Washington DC, Journalist Alisha Haridasani Gupta (New York Times) and Governor Inslee (Washington). Click hereto read the students' exceptional work!
The Bixby Center Chair and Professor Ndola Prata MD, MSc presented research on women's empowerment and fertility decline in Angola at the African Population Conference in Lilongwe, Malawi. She co-authored this work with Bixby Center Executive Director Karen Weidert MPH.
Research paper title: Can Women’s Empowerment Accelerate Fertility Decline in Angola?
The Chair of the Bixby Center Professor Ndola Prata, MD, MSc and her DrPh candidate Blake Erhardt-Ohren presented research from their collaborative projects at the African Population Conference in Lilongwe, Malawi.
First project
Title: What happens to abortion rights for refugees in Africa when they cross borders?
Description: 25% of refugees are at risk of pregnancy and refugees have a higher unmet need for reproductive health services than other populations. We investigated the...
UC Berkeley Bixby Center; RHIYW; Rwanda Biomedical Centre; Rwanda Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (RSOG)
Telemedicine provides a unique opportunity to improve abortion care in Rwanda by allowing for service provision at primary care level. Efficacy of medication abortion is well established in healthcare,yet research in Rwanda is still needed to determine the effectiveness and safety of management of first trimester medication abortion cases at health centers. While current services are only available in district hospitals, services at health centers would decrease referrals for first trimester medication abortion. This strategy will also reduce costs of service provision and address...
Amol De Gabriel from the community-led media initiative Kakuma Cinema interviewed Bhavya Joshi, one of the Bixby Center's fellows on February 22, 2024 in Kakuma, Kenya. The conversation touched upon various topics, beginning with Bhavya’s background, and the purpose of her visit to Kakuma. She shared perspectives on the significance of her work in promoting reproductive health and well-being within the community. She concluded with a message to Kakuma's youth. The exchange highlighted the spirit of mutual learning and collaboration with the community.
Telemedicine provides a unique opportunity to improve abortion care in Rwanda by allowing for service provision at primary care level. Efficacy of medication abortion is well established in healthcare,yet research in Rwanda is still needed to determine the effectiveness and safety of management of first trimester medication abortion cases at health centers. While current services are only available in district hospitals, services at health centers would decrease referrals for first trimester medication abortion. This strategy will also reduce costs of service...
Our long-time partner, Evangeline Dushimeyesu from the Rwanda Health Initiative for Youth and Women, highlighted our joint innovation—a telemedicine model for medication abortion—at the 2025 Transform Africa Summit this week. The work was featured prominently in a plenary session aligned with the conference theme, "AI for Africa: Innovate Locally, Impact...