Yale Global Health Spark Award Granted for NCD Management Initiative in Cox’s Bazar

Nidhi Kadakia, an emergency medicine instructor at the Yale Institute for Global Health, has been honored with the Fall 2024 Global Health Spark Award. This prestigious recognition, valued at up to $10,000, is designed to support innovative research initiatives in global health.

Kadakia’s project addresses the pressing issue of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals living in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. This vulnerable community of over 200,000 individuals faces a range of health challenges, including hypertension, diabetes, chronic respiratory conditions, and malnutrition.

The research will rely on retrospective chart reviews and patient focus groups to examine epidemiological trends, assess the effectiveness of current treatments, and identify obstacles to achieving effective care. Collaborating with the nonprofit organization Health and Education for All (HAEFA), Kadakia’s team aims to tackle critical barriers to managing NCDs in this humanitarian setting.

“This project will identify critical facilitators and barriers to effective NCD care in a humanitarian setting, providing a foundation for the development of tailored health interventions,” the university noted in a statement.

Kadakia expressed her gratitude for the recognition and outlined the project’s goals: “I am very grateful to receive this Spark Award, which will allow my colleagues from Health and Education for All (HAEFA) and I to uncover unique epidemiological patterns, treatment efficacy, and obstacles in non-communicable disease (NCD) management. We expect this intervention to improve the quality of life of this vulnerable community and inform best practices for NCD management in this and other refugee and crisis contexts.”

The Spark Award evaluates projects based on their innovativeness, feasibility, sustainability, and alignment with the mission of the Yale Institute for Global Health. Kadakia’s work exemplifies these qualities by addressing a critical global health issue and paving the way for sustainable interventions in crisis-stricken communities.