About MIRNA

Strengthening maternal immunisation readiness through collaboration and evidence

MIRNA connects researchers, institutions and country programmes across Africa and South Asia to strengthen readiness for maternal immunisation through research, partnership and shared learning.

Who we are

A collaborative maternal immunisation research network

MIRNA — the Maternal Immunisation Readiness Network in Africa & Asia — is a collaborative research network bringing together institutions, researchers and country programmes across eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The network works to strengthen maternal immunisation readiness and support countries as they prepare for the introduction and implementation of new maternal vaccines. MIRNA creates a shared space for generating evidence, exchanging implementation learning and strengthening collaboration between researchers, policymakers, health programmes and other partners. By connecting country-level experience with regional and global learning, MIRNA aims to support maternal immunisation strategies that are informed by evidence, responsive to local health-system realities and capable of improving outcomes for mothers, newborns and infants.
What we aim to achieve

Building readiness for maternal immunisation

MIRNA combines country-level research, implementation learning and cross-country collaboration to strengthen preparedness for current and future maternal vaccines.

01

Strengthen national readiness

Support countries to assess their readiness and develop evidence-informed plans for the introduction and implementation of new maternal vaccines.

02

Align strategies across countries

Create opportunities for partner countries to compare experience, share learning and strengthen maternal immunisation strategies through cross-country collaboration.

03

Inform policy and implementation

Generate and share evidence that can support maternal immunisation policy, programme design and implementation at national, regional and global levels.

Our approach

From evidence to readiness and implementation

MIRNA takes a collaborative, country-led approach to maternal immunisation readiness. Research and implementation learning are grounded in the realities of participating countries while contributing to a shared body of evidence across the network. Country teams work with research institutions, health programmes and partners to understand readiness needs, identify barriers and opportunities, and generate evidence that can inform the introduction of maternal vaccines. The network also creates opportunities for countries to learn from one another. Through research, technical exchange, shared tools, events and knowledge resources, MIRNA connects experience across different health systems and settings. This approach helps translate research into practical learning for programmes and policymakers while ensuring that country experience contributes to wider maternal immunisation policy and implementation discussions.
Governance

A collaborative network built around shared leadership

MIRNA's governance brings together researchers, investigators and technical experts from participating countries and partner institutions. Country leadership supports research and implementation within each setting, while the Technical Advisory Committee contributes specialist expertise and independent technical guidance across the network.

Network

MIRNA leadership

1

Dr Hellen Barsosio

Principal Investigator (Technical Co-lead)

Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Global Health Research

KenyaView profile →
Across the network

Country leadership

12
MIRNA Country Hub

Bangladesh

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MIRNA
Dr Shams El Arifeen

Principal Investigator

International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research

MIRNA Country Hub

Burkina Faso

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MIRNA
Prof Halidou Tinto

Principal Investigator

Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé - Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro

MIRNA Country Hub

Ethiopia

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MIRNA
Prof Antony Scott

Principal Investigator

College of Health Science, Haramaya University

MIRNA
Prof Nega Assefa

Principal Investigator

College of Health Science, Haramaya University

MIRNA Country Hub

Ghana

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MIRNA
Dr Kwaku Poku Asante

Principal Investigator

Kintampo Health Research Centre, Research and Development Division, Ghana Health Service

MIRNA
Dr Samuel Afari-Asiedu

Co-Principal Investigator

Kintampo Health Research Centre, Research and Development Division, Ghana Health Service

MIRNA Country Hub

Kenya

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MIRNA
Dr Rose Jalang’o

Co-Principal Investigator

Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Global Health Research

MIRNA Country Hub

Nigeria

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MIRNA
Prof Hadiza Shehu Galadanci

Principal Investigator

Africa Center of Excellence for Population Health and Policy, Bayero University Kano

MIRNA Country Hub

Pakistan

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MIRNA
Prof Imran Nisar

Principal Investigator

Aga Khan University and VITAL Pakistan Trust

MIRNA Country Hub

Uganda

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MIRNA
Dr Eve Nakabembe

Co-Investigator

Makerere University Johns Hopkins University (MU-JHU) Research Collaboration/ MU-JHU Care Limited

MIRNA
Prof Annettee Nakimuli

Principal Investigator

Makerere University College of Health Sciences

MIRNA
Prof Kirsty Le Doare

Principal Investigator

Makerere University Johns Hopkins University (MU-JHU) Research Collaboration/ MU-JHU Care Limited

Technical guidance

Technical Advisory Committee

12
MIRNA

Dr Danny Feikin

Department of Immunisations, Vaccines, and Biologicals

WHO

MIRNA

Dr Dorothy Oluoch

KEMRI-WT

Kenya
MIRNA

Dr Ignacio Esteban

GAVI

MIRNA

Dr Laura Nic Lochlainn

Lead for the Life Course & Integration Team

WHO

MIRNA

Dr Lisa Noguchi

Director, Maternal and Newborn Health Jhpiego

Johns Hopkins University

MIRNA

Dr Marta Tufet Bayona

GAVI

MIRNA

Gloria Lihemo

UNICEF

MIRNA

Mrs Olive Tengera

International Confederation of Midwives

Prof Ann Beatrice Kihara

Senior Lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Specialist Obstetrician Gynaecologist

Kenyatta National Hospital Nairobi, Kenya

KenyaView profile →
MIRNA

Prof Elizabeth Mason

Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London

MIRNA

Prof Mark Jit

Chair and Professor of the Department of Global and Environmental Health

New York University

MIRNA

Prof Saad Omer

University of Texas Southwestern

Our support

Supporting collaborative maternal immunisation research

MIRNA is supported by the Gates Foundation. This support enables collaboration across participating countries and institutions to strengthen research, evidence generation and maternal immunisation readiness.
MIRNA Network

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