African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation

What African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation does

African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST) is an independent, Uganda-incorporated non-profit think tank and network headquartered in Kampala. It was founded by a group of African and international leaders in health and development to advocate for evidence-based health policies that are owned and driven by African populations rather than externally imposed. ACHEST's work is organized around four program pillars: Leadership and Governance of Health, Human Resources for Health, Strategic Communication for Health Advocacy, and Inter-sectoral Collaboration. Its core activities include policy research, ministerial leadership development, facilitation of continental consultations, and the production of reports and publications on health systems.

ACHEST generates no commercial revenue. It is funded through grants and institutional partnerships with a roster of major global health donors, including PEPFAR, NIH, Rockefeller Foundation, NORAD, the Netherlands Government, USAID, the EU, and WHO. Its reach is pan-African: the organization has worked in at least 13 countries (Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mali, Tanzania, Malawi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Nigeria), and it served as the African Coordinating Centre for the $130M Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) across 13 medical schools in 12 countries. It also helped establish AFREhealth and contributed to the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.

The operating model is relationship-driven rather than technology-driven. ACHEST operates a WordPress website, an online publications library, and an ACHEST Database for sharing research resources, but it does not develop or sell technology products. The team is small (1-10 employees) and led by senior figures including Prof. Francis Omaswa (Executive Director, former Director-General Health Services in Uganda's Ministry of Health) and Prof. Elsie Kiguli-Malwadde (Deputy Executive Director, 2024 CUGH Distinguished Leadership Award recipient). Named customer/partner relationships span African ministries of health, the African Union Commission, WHO, AFREhealth, Makerere University, and the Federation of Ugandan Medical Interns.

Name

African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation

Legal name

African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation

Website

https://achest.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ACHEST is an independent, Uganda-based non-profit think tank that promotes African-owned health policies through policy research, leadership development, and convening across 13+ African countries, funded by grants from WHO, PEPFAR, NIH, Rockefeller, EU, and other global health donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grant funding and institutional partnerships: ACHEST operates as a not-for-profit organization funded through grants from international development partners including PEPFAR, NIH, Rockefeller Foundation, NORAD, Netherlands Government, USAID, EU, and WHO. Revenue comes from implementing research programs, hosting consultations, and providing technical support to African governments and institutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ACHEST is an independent think tank and network that conducts health policy research, delivers capacity building and training programs, provides advisory and technical support to African governments and institutions, and operates knowledge platforms (database and publications) focused on health systems strengthening, human resources for health, and strategic health communications across Africa.

Product overview

ACHEST operates as an independent think tank and network focused on promoting evidence-based health policies and strategies for Africa. The organization functions as a unified platform offering research publications, data resources through the ACHEST Database, and programs on health systems strengthening, human resources for health, and strategic communication. ACHEST serves as both a policy advisory body and a convening platform for African health leaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACHEST Think Tank and Network (Policy Advisory Services)

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Makerere University College of Health SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACHEST collaborates with Makerere University on health professions education initiatives including the HEPI program to strengthen interdisciplinary health professional education and research training. They jointly organize symposia and internship programs.
• AFREhealth (African Forum for Research and Education in Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACHEST was instrumental in the creation of AFREhealth, which emerged from the MEPI initiative. AFREhealth now invites other health professional groups to strengthen health education across Africa.
• East Central and Southern African Health Community (ECSA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACHEST partners with ECSA and WHO to hold Ministerial Round tables with Health Ministers to discuss topical health issues and executive leadership development.
• WHO (World Health Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACHEST works with WHO on health workforce initiatives, co-hosted pre-WHA conferences, supports development of WHO Code on International Recruitment of Health Personnel, and conducts WHO-funded studies.
• Health Action International (HAI) and WEMOSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACHEST is part of a consortium with Amref Health Africa, HAI, and WEMOS funded by the Netherlands Government to advocate for Health Systems Strengthening for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia.
• Uganda Ministry of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACHEST works closely with Uganda Ministry of Health on health workforce development, community health systems, policy development, and national health programs including COVID-19 response.
• New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACHEST partnered with NYAM President Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford on the Rockefeller Foundation-funded study 'Strong Ministries for Strong Health Systems' as Principal Investigator.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• New York Academy of Medicine: Historic US-based health policy academy that co-investigated with ACHEST on the Rockefeller-funded 'Strong Ministries for Strong Health Systems' study. Comparable as an established health policy institution engaging on health governance and workforce leadership.
• The George Institute for Global Health: Large global health research institute with offices worldwide producing evidence-based health policy recommendations. Comparable as a think-tank style health policy research organization, but much larger, more diversified funding, and broader geographic footprint than ACHEST.
• Results for Development (R4D): Global health systems and education advisory organization working with governments and funders on health financing, workforce, and governance. Comparable as a policy advisory partner to governments and donors on health systems strengthening, though R4D is more commercially-staffed and global.

Direct peers

• Amref Health Africa: Africa's largest health NGO, headquartered in Nairobi, working on health systems strengthening, workforce training, and advocacy. ACHEST is an active partner with Amref in a Netherlands-funded SRHR consortium; both target African governments and health workforce development.
• Health Action International (HAI): Global health policy and advocacy organization focused on medicines access and health systems. ACHEST partners with HAI in a Netherlands-funded SRHR consortium, working on parallel advocacy/policy advisory lines for African health systems.
• African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC): Africa-based research institution conducting policy-relevant health and population research. Comparable as an African-rooted think tank/research center producing evidence to influence health policy across the continent, with a similar community-led GTM model.
• ECSA Health Community: East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community is a regional health body convening health ministers. ACHEST partners with ECSA on Ministerial Round tables and executive leadership development, working on the same health workforce and governance agenda.
• African Health Economics and Policy Association (AfHEA): Pan-African association promoting health economics and policy research. ACHEST was instrumental in convening the African Health Economics Association—similar continental convening role, similar audience of African health policymakers and researchers.

Emerging players

• Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC): Continental public health agency of the African Union focused on disease surveillance, preparedness, and response. ACHEST engages with AU bodies including NEPAD Health Secretariat; Africa CDC represents an institutional counterpart on the continental health architecture ACHEST shapes.
• Wemos: Dutch NGO advocating for health systems strengthening globally, including SRHR in Africa. ACHEST partners with Wemos in the same Netherlands-funded consortium for SRHR advocacy in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/achest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation