About Institute for Global Health and Development

Professor Sophie Witter

Research co-director

Sophie is a health economist and health system researcher, whose work has spanned more than 30 years and countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Central Europe and the Middle East. She has successfully led multi-disciplinary, multi-country research teams to timely and effective completion, with a strong focus on evidence into practice.

Sophie’s health system and policy research networks are extensive (she is an active and highly sought-after technical advisor) and she works closely with FCDO, other funders, academics and global health networks, as well as developing capacity through collaborations, teaching and mentoring.

Sophie is Professor of International Health Financing and Systems and Deputy Director of the Research Unit on Health in Situations of Fragility at IGHD. Her recent research work focused on fragile and conflict-affected states, understanding resilience in shock-affected health systems, health system strengthening, fostering learning in health systems, evaluation of complex health system interventions, embedded development and research, alongside health financing and human resources for health.

Contact Sophie on via the IGHD website

Dr Maria Bertone

Researcher

Maria’s research looks at health financing and human resources for health issues (including purchasing arrangement, performance-based financing schemes, health workers’ remuneration and incentives), with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. She is particularly interested in the political economy dynamics that define the design, implementation and adaptation of health financing and HRH policies in fragile contexts. She is currently leading NIHR-funded research focusing on the political economy of universal health coverage in francophone Africa.

Prior to working in academia, Maria provided technical advice to the Ministry of Health of Burundi, through the Overseas Development Institute Fellowship and then as consultant in numerous countries including DR Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Rwanda, Chad, Benin, Laos, Comoros and Botswana.

Maria is the vice-chair of HSG’s Thematic Working Group on Fragile and Conflict-affected States.

Contact Maria on via the IGHD website.

Giulia Loffreda

Researcher

Giulia is a pharmacist with a background in public health research (MSc) and experience in health system strengthening and health policy and system research in low- and middle-income countries. At the Institute for Global Health and Development Giulia worked as a researcher on several projects within the NIHR Research Unit on health in situations of fragility. Other projects she has been involved with include research on the political economy of UHC in francophone Africa, the resilience of the health systems in Gaza, Lebanon and Scotland during COVID-19, and the mapping of system dynamics between climate change and health in fragile settings. She is currently doing a PhD (by publication) on population-level policies and strategies for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Giulia’s research interests include NCDs and mental health policy and service delivery, political economy and governance, evidence review, systems thinking and fragility.

Contact Giulia on via the IGHD website.

Dr Vladimir Cvetkovic

Research project officer

Vladimir’s professional experience spans work with the OSCE, UNDP, a number of international NGOs, civil society and academia. In addition to work in Serbia, Kosovo and the wider Balkan region, it also includes posts in Afghanistan and Georgia. Combining research and Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning skills with practical experience of hands-on capacity development and project management, he has worked on issues affecting minorities and marginalised groups, implementation of human rights standards in government and public services, arms control and security sector reform, with a cross-cutting focus on institutional change and transformation.

With a PhD in sociology and interest in institutional contexts for project and policy implementation, Vladimir is responsible for financial administration, communication, and research uptake.