We are excited to continue our series highlighting SweDev’s institutional support members. The second institution to be featured is Lund University, represented by Jesper Sundewall. Learn more about their research on global health and health systems, with a focus on development aid and the role of international cooperation.
Photo: Workshop with National Health Insurance management Agency in Zambia/NHIMA
We are pleased to continue our series highlighting SweDev’s institutional support members. Each institution plays a key role in strengthening the network and advancing development research.
In this second feature, we turn to Lund University, represented by Jesper Sundewall. Through his insights, you’ll learn more about the research group Social Medicine and Global Health, their focus on health systems and sexual and reproductive health, and their current projects on Swedish development aid and the global consequences of the US withdrawal from WHO.
Enjoy the read!
Can you please introduce yourself and your research group?
– My name is Jesper Sundewall and I am associate professor of global health systems research at Lund University. Our research group, Social Medicine and Global Health, is a multidisciplinary research group that conducts high quality research within two main fields: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Health Systems Research.
Can you give examples of the type of research you do in your research group/department?
– One major field of research has been to evaluate the effects of health financing reforms on the health system. For example, we have studied the implementation of a national health insurance in Zambia and tried to evaluate if the reform has had any effect on people’s access to health care and how much money they must spend on health care. Another field of research is SRHR and within this field we have, for example, studied sexual violence among immigrant groups in Sweden and sexual risk behavior in Ethiopia.
Why is your group’s/department’s research important and how can it contribute to development?
– Our research is important to improve efficiency and effectiveness of health systems and thereby improve how the health system performs and contributes to improved health outcomes. This is important in all countries, but not least in low-income countries where available resources are extremely limited.
What interesting work does your group/department have lined up in the next 12 months?
– We have several interesting things lined up. We are currently conducting an evaluation of Swedish aid for health system strengthening, a study we hope will contribute to improved effectiveness of future Swedish development cooperation. Furthermore, we are planning to study the consequences of the US withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO).