MIHRI Advances MAMA-LINK Maternal and Child Health Research Using Data from Mayuge Hospital and St. Francis Hospital

Buluba, Uganda — The Mayuge Institute for Global Health Research and Innovation (MIHRI) is implementing the Maternal and Maternal-Child Analytics Linked Cohort System (MAMA-LINK), a maternal and child health research initiative that leverages routinely collected health data from Mayuge Hospital and St. Francis Hospital in Buluba.

The MAMA-LINK project focuses on linking and analyzing maternal and child health data to generate high-quality evidence across pregnancy, childbirth, and early childhood. Data contributions from Mayuge Hospital and St. Francis Hospital form a critical foundation for the linked cohort, enabling longitudinal analysis of maternal and child health outcomes within the community.

Using Routine Health Data to Strengthen Research and Policy

Rather than developing clinical systems within hospitals, MIHRI’s MAMA-LINK project utilizes existing, routinely collected maternal and child health data in accordance with ethical approvals and data governance frameworks. This approach minimizes disruption to healthcare delivery while maximizing the research value of available data.

“Access to high-quality routine health data from Mayuge Hospital and St. Francis Hospital allows MIHRI to conduct robust, contextually relevant maternal and child health research,” a MIHRI representative said. “The MAMA-LINK cohort enables us to identify trends, assess risks, and inform interventions that improve outcomes for mothers and children.”

Building a Linked Cohort for Maternal and Child Health Analytics

By securely linking maternal and child records over time, the MAMA-LINK cohort supports advanced analytics, monitoring of health outcomes, and evaluation of maternal and child health interventions. The research generated through this system contributes to evidence-based planning at local, district, and national levels.

Key objectives of the MAMA-LINK project include:

• Linking maternal and child health data for longitudinal analysis
• Improving understanding of pregnancy, birth, and early childhood outcomes
• Supporting data-driven maternal and child health policies
• Strengthening local research capacity in global health

Ethical, Secure, and Community-Focused Research

MIHRI is committed to ethical research practices, data security, and responsible data use. All data used in the MAMA-LINK project are handled in line with national research regulations, institutional approvals, and ethical standards to protect patient confidentiality and community trust.