Arnhold Institute for Global Health

Our Work

The Arnhold Institute for Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai believes that all vulnerable people in the world deserve quality health care. We work to develop ways to build and sustain better health care systems, collaborating with local programs to conduct implementation research.

Specifically, we aim to develop global health solutions, generate evidence for their efficacy, and replicate these interventions at scale. We develop sustainable long-term partnerships with research, teaching, and care delivery partners worldwide.

Our major areas of focus are:

Nepal: We collaborate with Possible and Nyaya Health to develop approaches to address maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, and depression in rural Nepal. In addition, we are hosting scholars in Nepal.

Kenya: As a member of the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) Consortium in western Kenya, the Arnhold Institute coordinates the consortium’s adolescent health initiative, supporting adolescent health care and research focused on adolescents living with HIV/AIDS. We are bringing Kenyan and North American medical students together for educational opportunities.

Elmhurst, Queens: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, we deepened our partnership with NYC Health + Hospital / Elmhurst Hospital’s Global Health Institute to launch a joint research unit, CURE-19 (COVID-19 Unit for Research at Elmhurst Hospital.) This expertise enables the frontline questions in the COVID-19 pandemic to be translated fully into evidence and innovations that become improvements for patients and health systems at scale and global policy. Our COVID-19 research and care initiatives in New York are focused on four main areas: maternal and child health; people living with HIV/AIDS; people with multiple chronic conditions; and social and environmental disparities.

Chronic Conditions in Vulnerable Patients: We are partnering with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries’ Environmental and Social Governance Initiative to develop new care models for vulnerable people living with multiple chronic diseases, including protection from COVID-19. In East Harlem, New York City, we are developing and expanding online peer support groups to help patients self-manage their conditions. In Navrongo, Ghana, we work with local researchers to help nurses and volunteers treat hypertension, depression, and other chronic conditions where doctors are scarce.

Design and Informatics: This team provides key technical expertise, consultation, and support to the Arnhold Institute’s activities and partners. The resources they provide include developing frontline community health data analytics and visualization tools, comprehensive design and systems analyses, and interactive education and engagement platforms for at-risk, marginalized, and under-resourced populations.