ITARA research programme

The ITARA Programme is a four year NIHR funded programme of work, which will use transdisciplinary research methods to develop novel approaches to Integrated Tuberculosis (TB) and Respiratory care in Africa. 

The grant is based at Imperial College London, with study sites in Arusha in Tanzania, Nairobi in Kenya, and Lagos in Nigeria.

Focus of work

Pulmonary tuberculosis and respiratory diseases are closely linked in low-resource settings, with shared risk factors (E.g. Poverty related risk factors, smoking, occupational exposures) and clinical presentations. Pulmonary TB can also directly cause chronic post-TB lung damage. Despite this overlap, TB and respiratory services are often delivered separately in Africa. TB care is provided via well-resourced and administered vertical National TB Programmes, whilst respiratory care is often provided via less well defined and resourced health systems. 

The ITARA programme will use transdisciplinary research methods (clinical epidemiology, ethnography, health economics, and health systems) to understand existing approaches to TB and respiratory care in Africa, and will inform the development of novel frameworks for integrated person-centred services. 

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