A new chapter in the fight against child malnutrition

The RECOVER project seeks to understand why so many children fail to access treatment, are identified too late, or do not recover despite receiving care, and to develop practical, evidence-based solutions to improve outcomes.

Hosted by the Tanzania’s National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) and involving partners from Rigshospitalet (Copenhagen University Hospital), University of Copenhagen,The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya, RECOVER builds on decades of collaboration and shared commitment to improving child health in East Africa.

“The project will examine barriers and facilitators to treatment uptake, investigate health systems, household, clinical and biological factors associated with unsuccessful treatment, and work with stakeholders to co-develop recommendations for stronger malnutrition programmes.” 

Collaboration at the heart of RECOVER

During the launch week, participants engaged in a series of productive meetings, workshops and roundtable discussions that helped refine plans for the years ahead. A visit to health facilities and communities around Mwanza provided valuable first-hand insight into the realities of delivering malnutrition services and underscored the importance of grounding research in local experience.

The launch also highlighted the strength of the partnership itself. For many in attendance, RECOVER felt less like the start of a new project and more like the next step in a longstanding scientific journey. The study builds directly on the BrightSAM (Brain Development, Growth and Health in Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition) trial, an ongoing collaboration between Rigshospitalet and NIMR investigating innovative nutritional and psychosocial interventions for children with severe acute malnutrition. RECOVER will leverage BrightSAM's research infrastructure, data resources and community engagement networks to maximise impact and accelerate learning.

RECOVER also marks the initiation of a new collaboration between research environments in Tanzania and Kenya that have complementary experience and skills within the field of childhood malnutrition research. In the project, data from BrightSAM will be combined with data from an extensive database and biobank in Kenya to identify risk factors for failure to recover among children.

Above all, the week in Mwanza demonstrated the power of collaboration: a diverse group of talented, dedicated researchers united by a shared goal, mutual respect, and genuine enjoyment of working together. With that foundation in place, RECOVER is well positioned to generate knowledge that can improve the lives of vulnerable children across Tanzania and beyond.