One of the hurdles to improving health care systems for African countries is the shortage of scientists and lack of meaningful medical research on the continent, experts say. An organization hopes to change that by enabling researchers and policymakers in three large African countries to develop more extensive and relevant research. According to a 2017 report by the World Economic Forum, Africa is home to 15% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s disease burden—but produces just 2% of the world’s medical research. The report said of the medical research that does occur, much of it fails to prioritize diseases or health problems most pressing for Africans. A group of African health researchers and institutions are now pushing for the continent’s medical research to be more focused on the continent’s own medical problems. The African Population and Health Research Center is bringing together scientists, academics, policymakers and government officials from Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria. Their goal is to strengthen African leadership in research and development, ensuring that the findings from these researchers are relevant and accessible to decision-makers, leading to better health care systems across the continent. (VOA)