Dina Balabanova

Professor Dina Balabanova is a leading academic at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Adjunct Professor at Njala University, Sierra Leone. With over 25 years of experience in health systems and policy research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), she specializes in health systems governance, anti-corruption strategies, and strengthening primary healthcare delivery. Her work spans geographies including sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia, focusing on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), community health cadres, and equity in health access.

Her research portfolio includes FCDO-funded Anti-Corruption Evidence (ACE) consortium projects in Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Tanzania, addressing informal payments, absenteeism, and pharmaceutical market distortions. She leads initiatives like the Wellcome Trust-funded RESPOND project in Malaysia and the Philippines, investigating hypertension barriers among underserved populations. Balabanova emphasizes narratives and stakeholder engagement to inform health policy, co-chairing the Health Systems Global Thematic Working Group on Accountability and Anti-Corruption for SDGs.

• Key advisory roles: Lancet Commission on Realigning Child Health in SDG Era
• Editorial leadership: Senior Editor, BMC Health Services Research and Social Science & Medicine (Health Systems)