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Dr Bhargavi Rao

Clinical Associate Professor Pub. Health

United Kingdom

I joined LSHTM in 2021 after more than 10 years working at Médecins Sans Frontières (Operational Centre Amsterdam), including leading the Emerging and Infectious Diseases portfolio, dividing my time between COVID-19, malaria and other infectious diseases outbreaks. I have worked in humanitarian responses across multiple contexts, and am a public health clinician with a PhD in infectious disease epidemiology. 

In my new role, I'm developing a portfolio of research on malaria and infectious disease control in public health crises and complex emergencies, with a particular interest in surveillance, early-warning systems, and anticipatory action (linking disease, climate and conflict) as well as vaccination and other mass-interventions strategies in crises.

In addition I am one of the co-Programme Directors of the new Distance-Learning Health in Humanitarian Crises programme and also co-module organiser for HHM102 Design & Planning of Humanitarian projects. I have co-edited the revised Conflict and Health textbook which serves as the basis for the distance learning PHM214 Conflict & Health module which is the core foundation module for the HHC programme.

To keep connected to the operational front-line, I'm continuing in a part-time role at MSF, currently as the Strategic Lead for Research and malaria/infectious diseases specialist, as well as retaining an honorary clinical position with UKSHA.

Affiliations

Department of Global Health and Development
Faculty of Public Health and Policy

Centres

Malaria Centre

Teaching

Co-Programme Director for Health in Humanitarian Crises programme DL
Co-module organiser for HHM102 Design & Planning of Humanitarian projects
Co-editor for PHM214 Conflict & Health module textbook
Lecturer: Conflict & Health module, Advanced Research Methods, Malaria modules, Pandemics short course, DTM&H and Global Health Primer

Frequent lecturer for infectious diseases and public health UK training schemes

Research

Anticipatory Action
Early warning systems
Surveillance

Mortality estimation
Climate change
Complex interventions
Conflict
Malaria
Pneumonia
Diagnostics
Infectious disease policy
Maternal health
Public health
Viruses
Disease control
Global Health
Natural disasters
Outbreaks
Vector control
Vaccination and Vaccine Preventable Diseases
Mass drug administration
Community interventions - iCCM

Research Area
Health in humanitarian crises
Outbreaks
Surveillance
Vaccinations
Climate change
Refugees
Conflict
Natural disasters
Maternal health
Child health
Diagnostics
Disease and Health Conditions
Malaria
Pneumonia
Emerging infectious diseases
Infectious diseases
Diarrhoeal diseases
Respiratory diseases
Zoonoses
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
Tropical diseases
Vector borne diseases
Measles

Selected Publications

Additional file 1 of Mixed-method evaluation study of a targeted mass drug administration of long-acting anti-malarials among children aged 3 months to 15 years in the Bossangoa sub-prefecture, Ouham, Central African Republic, during the COVID-19 pandemic
Robinson, E; Ouabo, A; Rose, L; Van Braak, F; Vyncke, J; Wright, R; Gray, N; Sakama, NS; Aboukar, EJ; Fierte, MM; Woinzoukou, D; Ewers, L; Serpande, C; Stein, S; Van Boetzelaer, E; Kpahina, OA; Sabe, SC; RAO, B; Kuehne, A;
2024
Figshare
Mixed-method evaluation study of a targeted mass drug administration of long-acting anti-malarials among children aged 3 months to 15 years in the Bossangoa sub-prefecture, Ouham, Central African Republic, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Robinson, E; Ouabo, A; Rose, L; Van Braak, F; Vyncke, J; Wright, R; Gray, N; Sakama, NS; Aboukar, EJ; Fierte, MM; Woinzoukou, D; Ewers, L; Serpande, C; Stein, S; Van Boetzelaer, E; Kpahina, OA; Sabe, SC; RAO, B; Kuehne, A;
2024
Malaria journal
Antimicrobial resistance in bacterial wound, skin, soft tissue and surgical site infections in Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
MONK, EJ M; Jones, TP W; Bongomin, F; Kibone, W; Nsubuga, Y; Ssewante, N; Muleya, I; Nsenga, L; RAO, VB; VAN ZANDVOORT, K;
2024
PLOS global public health
Mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings
Massazza, A; Fuhr, D; Koyiet, P; Elshazly, M; ROBERTS, B;
2024
Conflict and Health
Non-communicable Diseases in Humanitarian Crises
ROBERTS, B; Jobanputra, K; Akik, C; Ansbro, E; Cikomola, J; MURPHY, A; Perel, P;
2024
Conflict and Health
The Governance of Childhood Vaccination Services in Crisis Settings: A Scoping Review.
ABDELMAGID, N; Southgate, RJ; ALHAFFAR, M; Ahmed, M; Bani, H; MOUNIER-JACK, S; DAHAB, M; CHECCHI, F; Sabahelzain, MM; Nor, B; RAO, B; SINGH, NS;
2023
Vaccines
The monkeypox outbreak is amplifying hidden voices in the global discourse.
Abbara, A; RAO, B; Titanji, BK; Boum, Y; Zumla, A;
2022
Lancet (London, England)
Climate-sensitive disease outbreaks in the aftermath of extreme climatic events: A scoping review
Alcayna, T; FLETCHER, I; Gibb, R; Tremblay, L; FUNK, S; RAO, B; Lowe, R;
2022
One Earth
Supplementary Material: Climate-sensitive disease outbreaks in the aftermath of extreme climatic events: a scoping review
Alcayna, T; FLETCHER, I; GIBB, R; Tremblay, L; FUNK, S; RAO, B; LOWE, R;
2022
Zenodo
Estimating the Burden of SARS-CoV-2 among the Rohingya Refugees
Truelove, S; Hegde, S; Niehaus, L; Kostandova, N; Altare, C; RAO, B; Smith, J; Cros, PD; Azman, A; Spiegel, P;
2021
medRxiv
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