The project team

Project team and management

Co-Principal Investigators: Professor Anne Matthews & Professor Ellen Chirwa

Anne Matthews is a qualified nurse and midwife, and health policy analyst, and is currently a Professor at the School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health, Dublin City University (DCU). She is an experienced PI, including on development projects such as COSYST-MNCH (Irish aid funded, RCSI as lead). Anne Matthews led the DCU team, in the development of a blended learning MSc, accredited by RCSI and delivered through College of Medicine Malawi. She has worked in Ireland, England and Malawi in a variety of policy, education and clinical roles. She is currently visiting professor to the Faculty of Health Sciences Durban University of Technology, since 2015. In that honorary role she supports postgraduate research students and their supervisors. She has been School Research Convener and Head of School at DCU. She has taught research methods modules at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in nursing & social policy. She is the current chairperson of the Irish Forum for Global Health (IFGH) and the Irish representative on the Federation of European Societies for Tropical Medicine and International health (FESTMIH). Her recent publications from COSYST-MNCH and other recent project highlight a policy engagement approach, rooted in her undergraduate and postgraduate academic study of social policy. In the RN4CAST EU nurse workforce planning project 2009-2011, on which Anne was project coordinator for the Irish team DCU led the Policy Synthesis work package. Her high impact Cochrane systematic reviews for the Pregnancy and Childbirth Group illustrate the role that building evidence for policy plays in her career.

Key relevant publications:

1. Walsh A, Matthews A, Manda-Taylor L, Brugha R, Mwale D, Phiri T, Byrne E. 2018. The role of the traditional leader in implementing maternal, newborn and child health policy in Malawi'. Health Policy and Planning. Jul 31. [Epub ahead of print]

2. Donaldson L, Matthews A, Walsh A, Brugha R, MandaTaylor L, Mwapasa V, Byrne E. 2017. 'Collaborative Tools to Enhance Engagement in a Blended Learning Master’s Programme'. AISHE-J: The All-Ireland Journal of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, 9 (1):2921-29220.

3. Manda-Taylor L, Mwale D, Phiri T, Walsh A, Matthews A, Brugha R, Mwapasa V, Byrne E. 2017. 'Changing times? Gender roles and relationships in maternal, newborn and child health in Malawi'. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 17:321 .

4. Sweeney M, Kirwan A, Kelly M, Corbally M, O Neill S, Kirwan M, Hourican S, Matthews A, Hussey P. 2016. 'Transition to blended learning: experiences from the first year of our blended learning Bachelor of Nursing Studies programme'. Contemporary Nurse, :1-13.

5. Staines A, Balanda K, Barron S, Corcoran Y, Fahy L, Gallagher L, Greally T, Kilroe J, Mohan C, Matthews A, McGovern E, Nicholson A, O'Farrell A, Philip R, & Whelton H. 2016. 'Child Health Care in Ireland'. Journal of Pediatrics, 177 :S87-S106.

6. Sadlier C, Bennett K, Matthews A, Mockler D, Wilson F, Bergin C. 2016. 'Pneumococcal vaccine for preventing Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in HIV-infected individuals (Protocol)'. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

7. Byrne E, Donaldson L, Manda-Taylor L, Brugha R, Matthews A, MacDonald S, Mwapasa V, Petersen M, Walsh A. 2016. 'The use of technology enhanced learning in health research capacity development: Lessons from a cross country research partnership'. Globalization and Health, 12 (1).

8. Matthews A, Haas D, O'Mathúna D, Dowswell T. 2015. 'Interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy'. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 9 .

9. Dunne S, Lunn C, Kirwan M, Matthews A, Condell S. 2015. 'Planning and selecting evaluation designs for leadership training: A toolkit for nurse managers and educators'. Journal of Professional Nursing, 31 (6):475-481.

10. Comiskey C, Matthews A, Williamson C, Bruce J, Mulaudzi M, Klopper H. 2015. 'Scaling up nurse education: An evaluation of a national PhD capacity development programme in South Africa, in the context of the global shortage of nursing graduates'. Nurse Education Today, 35 (5):647-652.

Professor Chirwa is a Registered Malawian midwife and graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she earned her PhD in Nursing in 2007. She joined Kamuzu College of Nursing in 1990 and has mainly been teaching midwifery and reproductive in undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Professor Chirwa has been involved in various academic leadership initiatives in the college including: development of undergraduate, masters and doctoral nursing and midwifery curricula, and establishment of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice, which she is Director. She was vice principal of Kamuzu College of Nursing from November 2008 to February 2016 and was Acting Principal 2016- 2017.Her research interests lie in quality improvement in maternal and neonatal health and HIV prevention among married couples. She has published in local and international journals including Malawi Medical Journal, African Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, Journal of the International AIDS Society, and Reproductive Health. She has received research funding from National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Centre, UNICEF, IDRC, and NORAD. Recent grants of most relevance to this proposal include:

· Principal Investigator: Improving the Standards Based Management Recognition Initiative to provide high quality, Equitable Maternal Health Services in Malawi. International Development Research Centre, Canadian Dollars 1,000,000 (2015 – 2020)

· Co- Principal Investigator: Development of a novel nursing and midwifery graduate and postgraduate training programme in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe NORAD, Norway, NOK 18,000.00 (2013 – 2017)

· Co-principal Investigator: Improving access and quality in maternal health care in Sub Saharan Africa. NUFU, NOK 5,560,000.00 (2008 – 2012)

· Principal Investigator: Validating Effectiveness of Mama Natalie and Neonatal Simulation Educational Programs among Midwifery Students at Kamuzu College of Nursing. Laerderal, USD 25,000.00 (2011-2012)

· Principal Investigator: Maternal and Neonatal Care Intervention in Malawi. Pilot Project. Norad, MK 22,000,000.00 (2011-2012)

Key relevant publications:

1. Tewesa, E, Chirwa, E, Majamanda, M. D, Maluwa, A, & Chimwaza, A. 2017. Associative Factors for Birth Asphyxia at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital—Malawi. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 05(05), 22–31.

2. Dressel, A, Mkandawire-Valhmu, L, Dietrich, A, Chirwa, E, Mgawadere, F, Kambalametore, S, & Kako, P. 2017. Local to global: Working together to meet the needs of vulnerable communities. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 315), 667–669.

3. Kabuluzi, E, Campbell, M, McGowan, L, Chirwa, E, & Brabin, L. 2013. Early pregnancy exposure to feto-toxic medications among out-patients in Malawi. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 27(12), 1204–1208.

4. Gombachika, B. C, Sundby, J, Chirwa, E, & Malata, A. 2014. Parenting experiences of couples living with human immunodeficiency virus: A qualitative study from rural Southern Malawi. SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, 11(1), 10–19.

5. Gombachika, B. C, Chirwa, E, Malata, A, & Maluwa, A. 2013. Sources of Information on HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health for Couples Living with HIV in Rural Southern Malawi. AIDS Research and Treatment, 2013, 1–11.

6. Kumbani, L, Bjune, G, Chirwa, E, Malata, A, & Odland, J. Ø. 2013. Why some women fail to give birth at health facilities: a qualitative study of women’s perceptions of perinatal care from rural Southern Malawi. Reproductive Health, 10(1).

7. Chanza, D, Chirwa, E, Maluwa, A, Malata, A, & Masache, G. 2012. Factors affecting the choice for home deliveries in Malawi. African Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, 6(3), 125–130.

8. Kumbani, L. C, Chirwa, E, Malata, A, Odland, J. Ø, & Bjune, G. 2012. Do Malawian women critically assess the quality of care? A qualitative study on women’s perceptions of perinatal care at a district hospital in Malawi. Reproductive Health, 9(1).

9. Chimphamba Gombachika, B, Fjeld, H, Chirwa, E, Sundby, J, Malata, A, & Maluwa, A. 2012. A Social Ecological Approach to Exploring Barriers to Accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health Services among Couples Living with HIV in Southern Malawi. ISRN Public Health, 1–13.

10. Kululanga, L. I, Sundby, J, Malata, A, & Chirwa, E. 2011. Striving to promote male involvement in maternal health care in rural and urban settings in Malawi - a qualitative study. Reproductive Health, 8(1).

Project management

Research Team

1. Anne Matthews, Co-PI, School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health, DCU.

2. Ellen Chirwa, Co-PI, Kamuzu College of Nursing.

3. Aisling Walsh, researcher, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

4. Pieternella Pieterse, postdoctoral researcher, School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health, DCU.