Search these pages to explore a selection of our directory of activities. You can use the keyword search and filter buttons to discover how we are addressing each of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and the five priorities in our Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement Plan. You can also filter activities by location and function.
Filtering subjects: Better health
This project involves pharmacy undergraduates delivering assessed core curriculum public engagement workshops to high school pupils. Workshops covers a variety of public health topics relevant to 14–16 year-olds such as Antibiotic Resistance, Alcohol, Diabetes, Mental Health & Sexual Health Awareness.
The University of Manchester has launched the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Manchester Centre of Research Excellence to support world-class cardiovascular disease research from the leading charity. The University matched BHF’s funding, bringing the total investment in cardiovascular disease research at Manchester to £8 million.
Mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue and chikungunya, are a significant health inequality and a major cause of poverty. In Africa, particularly in coastal Kenya, cases have risen sharply over the past 30 years. Understanding the factors behind disease transmission is key to effective management.
Research by teams at The University of Manchester has highlighted high genetic diversity in forest Aedes aegypti and other forest Aedes species in Africa. Notably, differences in their odorant receptors are leading to increased feeding on humans. This diversity may result from interbreeding with domestic Aedes aegypti from outside Africa or the invasion of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes from Southeast Asia.
This project, co-developed and led by researchers in Kenya and at The University of Manchester, will investigate these possibilities in the Tana River region and Kenya Coast. These areas contain forested regions near the port of Mombasa, a key entry point for invasive mosquito species.
By integrating data on mosquitoes, viruses, monkeys, and humans across the coastal Kenyan landscape, the project aims to map disease transmission patterns. Identifying the environmental and socio-behavioural factors driving transmission will help the Ministry of Health improve surveillance efforts and support local communities in preventing and mitigating disease spread.
The collaboration between the African Constituency Bureau (ACB) and The University of Manchester presents a significant opportunity to strengthen Africa’s position in global health governance.
Established by African Ministers of Health in 2017 with the endorsement of the African Union (AU), the ACB has been instrumental in advocating for policies that address Africa’s specific health challenges, particularly in areas such as HIV, TB, malaria, and more recently, COVID-19.
By supporting the ACB’s institutional growth, technical expertise, and policy advocacy, The University of Manchester aims to play a transformative role in shaping Africa’s health future and contributing to the broader global health community.
This partnership will focus on achieving long-lasting improvements in sustainable health financing, disease prevention, and the resilience of African health systems.
Kisii University, The University of Manchester, and the County Government of Kisii are working in partnership to develop a Centre of Excellence in Healthcare Education and Training (CEHET).
This Centre will train flexible, multidisciplinary healthcare workers required to meet the evolving health needs of the local population in the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) in Western Kenya, and across the country, supporting Kenya’s goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage.
A major challenge in Kenya is the low doctor-to-patient ratio, with only twelve (12) doctors per 100,000 people, well below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended ratio of thirty-six (36) doctors per 100,000 people.
This gap can only be addressed by increasing the number of healthcare professionals in training. The development of this Centre will significantly improve the availability of specialist care, reduce the number of Kenyans seeking medical treatment abroad, and increase the number of patients, primarily from other African countries, seeking care in Kenya.
The University of Manchester in collaboration with the Kisii County Health Ministry and Kisii University, is addressing gaps in the emergency care system, particularly in rural areas where systems are underdeveloped. The Kisii Emergency Care Project is a multi-pronged initiative designed to build a sustainable and effective emergency care system, aiming to improve healthcare delivery in Kisii and across Kenya.
To support the development of an emergency care system aligned with the Kenyan Emergency Medical Care Strategy, our University teams are helping design and implement a new emergency care model for Kisii. This model could eventually be expanded to other regions of Kenya. The project focuses on strengthening the chain of survival in emergency care through five key areas: Emergency Call Centre, Community First Responders, Ambulance Service, Specialist Emergency Nursing, and Accredited Specialists in Emergency Medicine.
Researchers at The University of Manchester are developing a novel approach to investigate the relationship between changes in surface water, human and animal interactions, and gastrointestinal disease prevalence.
Chronic zoonotic waterborne diseases are a leading cause of morbidity in landscapes shared by people, livestock, and wildlife in East Africa. However, disease surveillance remains focused on acute, epidemic diseases.
Co-created with local partners and institutions in Kenya and Tanzania, this project aims to examine how environmental factors, such as water availability and quality, contribute to the spread of diseases among humans, livestock, and wildlife in the region. There is an urgent need to improve access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, especially for vulnerable populations, to reduce preventable deaths.
An interdisciplinary team of experts in epidemiology, disease ecology, and physical geography will examine issues like water scarcity and contamination to deepen our understanding of how these factors affect health across different populations.
The findings will inform strategies for sustainable water management and disease prevention, aiming to reduce waterborne disease risks and lower mortality rates in East Africa. Additionally, the results will contribute to global policy frameworks, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, WHO International Health Regulations, and the African Union Agenda 2063.
Researchers from The University of Manchester are collaborating with partners in Kenya to investigate the impact of air pollution on health outcomes among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and other vulnerable populations. The project aims to drive actionable interventions to reduce health risks. Co-designed with researchers at The University of Nairobi, the project will address these deficiencies by generating data to support evidence-informed public health action. By establishing clear links between air pollution and health outcomes in PLHIV, this research will inform public health strategies and policy enforcement in Kenya and the East Africa region.
We will establish a new Centre of Excellence in Cancer Genomics at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), to advance precision cancer medicine and improve cancer care in Kenya. This initiative will include a dedicated genomics laboratory to study the genetic causes of cancer in East African populations and support the training of specialist healthcare professionals in genomic medicine and research.
Genetic knowledge plays a crucial role in cancer detection, diagnosis, and management. Advances in genotyping technology, which allow for the identification of genetic changes, are significantly improving cancer treatment. The new Centre of Excellence at KUTRRH will provide the scientific foundation needed to transition to precision cancer medicine in Kenya.
The University and the Christie Hospital in Manchester have formed a long-term partnership Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) to enhance cancer services and early detection in Kenya and the East African region.
Cancer care places a growing strain on Kenya’s limited health resources. In 2020, the National Cancer Institute estimated that cancer was the third leading cause of mortality in Kenya, claiming 27,000 lives. With 70% of cases diagnosed at a late stage, patients face poorer outcomes and higher treatment costs. Reducing this burden requires improved early detection and more precise treatment.
The University of Manchester and The Christie Hospital have chosen to partner with KUTRRH as they have world class facilities for the detection and treatment of cancer, including the Integrated Molecular Imaging Centre, molecular pathology, Cyberknife, and a LINAC machine.
The aim of the Dentists in Primary Schools project is to implement engaging oral health sessions in primary schools across Greater Manchester, especially those in socially deprived.
A group of undergraduate students have taken the local Dentists in Primary Schools (DiPS) programme halfway across the world. Through International DiPS, students from the Manchester Pediatric Dentistry Student Society have introduced healthy oral hygiene habits to hundreds of young children in Kisumu, Kenya.
The University’s partnership with Mansoura University, Egypt, is pivotal in addressing the urgent global health workforce shortage. Established in 2006 as Egypt’s first international medical programme, it equips students with integrated training that prepares them to serve globally, prioritising patient-centred care and competency-based education.
The University launched an Africa Strategy which looks to develop resource, capacity sharing and knowledge production, with investment in people and facilities that is impactful on the ground in this region.
Roots to Dental programme is a service-learning initiative, delivered in collaboration with the Working Well scheme, a family of services that support people experiencing or at risk of long-term unemployment in Greater Manchester. The programme offers Dentistry students important learning opportunities while also serving the Greater Manchester community.
Greater Manchester is set to become the first Creative Health City Region, thanks to a £800,000 grant from Arts Council England’s National Lottery-funded Place Partnership Fund. Led by NHS Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, this ambitious three-year project will unite public services, health and social care providers, cultural and voluntary organisations, higher education institutions, and local communities. The goal is to use creativity, culture, and heritage to tackle health inequalities and enhance the wellbeing of residents.
In a significant show of collaboration, the Greater Manchester Civic University Agreement partners – University of Bolton, Manchester Metropolitan University, The University of Manchester, The University of Salford and The Royal Northern College of Music – will play a pivotal role in the research and learning elements of the initiative under the banner of the Mayor’s Civic University Agreement.
As the fourth most heavily populated country in the world, the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Indonesia is particularly alarming, accounting for 1 in 3 deaths. The SMARThealth programme tackle the high risk of CVD in rural parts of Indonesia and is projected to prevent 120,000 deaths. The team designed the SMARThealth app as a low-cost intervention to tackle CVD in Indonesia.
The University has been awarded the University Mental Health Charter Award from Student Minds – the UK’s student mental health charity. The UMHC Award is a voluntary accreditation scheme that supports universities to understand their areas of strength and development to inform ongoing improvement in mental health and wellbeing, recognising good practice along the way.
Our Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences is working with farmers in Malawi, some of the poorest in the world, to help share knowledge about plant and soil management through delivering free workshops and building a laboratory that will be the first of its kind in the country. Malawi is ranked within the five poorest nations of the world and one of the least developed. Its agricultural sector accounts for a third of its GDP and approximately 80% of its overall exports. Agriculture clearly holds great potential for enhancing the social and economic development of communities in Malawi.
Global Futures is a global health strategy that aims to transform health outcomes, with a focus on levelling up healthcare provision and uplifting health systems globally. The strategy has been developed in direct response to predictions made by the World Health Organisation regarding the future of global health.
The Green Wellbeing Project is a project where volunteering is ‘prescribed’ to students rather than medication if appropriate. Jointly managed by the University’s Volunteering and Awards and the Social Prescribing teams along with the team at the University’s Firs Botanical Gardens, the project sees regular volunteers attending weekly.
All staff involved ensure participating students feel emotionally and mentally supported, with all the volunteering activities benefiting the environment and the wider community. Activities include repotting bulbs, weeding, planting up hanging baskets and prepping beds for an evolution garden.
The Purple Wave is a UoM Sport initiative designed to bring our community together to celebrate physical activity and shared experiences. It’s all about participation, not elite performance – just having fun, making friends, and being active with like-minded people. As part of this, people can become a Purplewave fundraiser, raising money at events like the Great Manchester Run. Over the years, hundreds of wonderful fundraisers have raised tens of thousands of pounds to support good causes right here on campus. From rebuilding the Paterson Cancer Research building to providing disadvantaged students with scholarships – brilliant Purple Wave fundraisers have helped make some amazing things happen for our community.
Every September, our University takes part in a fun and friendly biking competition called Cycle September. The initiative encourages staff and students to ditch their cars and hop on their bicycles for their daily commute. In 2023, we placed 1st in Greater Manchester and 3rd overall in the UK, but there’s more to it than just the competition, choosing to cycle improves physical and mental wellbeing, reduces our carbon footprint and helps decrease traffic congestion around campus.
The University has developed a series of open-access courses on public health and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a key part of the United Nations’ work to improve lives and protect the natural world. Public health is integral to these aspirations, in helping to improve people’s health while protecting the health of our planet and the natural world that we are all dependent on. This series of courses aims to give an introduction to the public health issues that are relevant to the SDGs, and the role of public health in taking action to achieve the goals.
Co-founded by the University’s Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health PhD student Beth Barnes, the Alternative Football League (AF League) is the North West’s only fully inclusive football league for women, non-binary and transgender individuals. AF League have three leagues across Manchester and Liverpool with 30 teams and over 400 players. They aim to use football as a platform to improve the mental health of women and non-binary people throughout the UK with their very own mental health and inclusivity workshops.
Don’t Brush it Under the Carpet campaign aims to improve mental wellbeing and raise awareness of self-harm as an issue for older people in Greater Manchester. It involves collaborative working between representatives from the award-winning Shining a Light on Suicide Campaign, GM Older People’s Network, GM Ageing Hub, health professionals, UoM researchers and focus groups of older residents led to the establishment of the Greater Manchester Older People’s Mental Health Clinical Reference Group.
