Joanna Raven is a health systems researcher who has over 20 years’ experience of research, training and partnerships in Africa and Asia.
The insights gained while working as a midwife in LMIC has ensured that her research is always relevant to these contexts. She has successfully managed multi-partner research grants, fostering research networks based on trust, innovation and high-level, quality outputs. She has a strong track record of developing capacity of researchers, managers and health workers and very effective communication skills which have helped build an extensive network in health systems research which maximizes research to policy and practice interface. Joanna is currently a Reader in health systems research and leads the newly-launched Centre for Health Systems Research.
Her recent research has focused on fragile and conflict-affected settings and resource poor settings in the areas of: strengthening district-level health management, improving health workforce performance including formal and informal health workers, gender equity and scaling-up complex health system interventions. This portfolio is complemented by capacity strengthening for health systems researchers in LMICs.
Teaching
Convenor of the Organisation and Management Module (TROP 708) of the MSc in International Public Health and contributes to the Human Resource Planning and Management (TROP 915), Key Themes in International Health and Health Policy (TROP 934), and the Advanced Skills in Tropical Disease Biology of the BSc in Tropical Medicine Biology. She also supervises student dissertations for Masters in International Public Health programme.
PhD students (current)
- Shridhar Kadam: Factors influencing the performance of district health managers and its effect on performance of district health system in Odisha, India
- Amuda Baba: Supporting midwives to improve maternal health outcomes in fragile contexts: case study of rural Ituri Province, DR Congo.
Research
- ARISE - Accountability for Informal Urban Equity Hub. GCRF, £13 million, 2019 – 2023. Role: Co-Investigator.
- PERFORM2Scale - Strengthening management at the district level to support the achievement of Universal Health Coverage. EU Horizon 2020, Euros 7.5million, 2017-2021. Role: Research director.
- RECAP-SL - Institutional capacity development for multi-disciplinary health research to support the health system rebuilding phase in Sierra Leone. EDCTP, $250,000, 2016-2018. Role: Principal Investigator.
- Improving neonatal health in remote rural areas in China and Vietnam. MRC/ESRC/Wellcome Trust/DFID, £68,645 2014-2015. Role: Co-Principal Investigator.
- ReBUILD - Research for building pro-poor health systems during recovery from conflict in Sierra Leone, Cambodia, Northern Uganda, and Zimbabwe. DfID, £8,000,000, 2011-2019. Role: Co-Investigator.
- PERFORM - Supporting decentralised management to improve health workforce performance in Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania. EU FP7, Euros 2,995,323, 2011-2015. Role: Co-Investigator.
- Empowering district-level managers to improve Health Worker Performance in Nepal. WHO IRP, US$248,456, 2013-2015. Role: Co-Investigator.
- MATIND - Large scale innovative pro-poor programs focused on reducing maternal mortality in India: a proposal for impact evaluation. EU FP7, Euros 368,415, 2011-2015. Role: Co-Investigator.
- Supporting community health workers in community-directed health interventions in Africa: a preliminary investigation. WHO/TDR, $115,500, 2013-2014. Role: Co-Investigator.
- Making it Happen – Capacity Development of Human Resources for Maternal and Newborn Health. DfID £4,000,000, 2009-2011. Role: Co-Investigator.
- RHINCAV - Bringing health care to the vulnerable - developing equitable and sustainable rural health insurance in China and Vietnam. EU FP6, Euros 1,619,096, 2005-2009. Role: Co-Investigator.
- CHIMACA - Structural obstacles to and promoters of good maternal care in rural China. EU FP6, Euros 1,500,000, 2005-2009. Role: Co-Investigator.