Our Vision

We envisions a world in which scientific innovation, ethical governance, and community intelligence converge to eliminate preventable diseases, reduce health inequities, and build resilient, inclusive, and climate-responsive health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income settings.

Our Mission

Our mission is to advance interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, implementation science, and capacity strengthening that respond to complex health challenges at the interface of biomedical science, social systems, and environmental change.

The Research Foundation in Tropical Diseases and Environment (REFOTDE) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental research and implementation institution driven by humanitarian values, scientific excellence, and an uncompromising commitment to equity, ethics, and measurable impact. Established to respond to the complex health and environmental challenges facing tropical and resource-limited settings, REFOTDE operates at the intersection of biomedical sciences, public and global health, environmental systems, social sciences, and innovation-driven development.

REFOTDE is strategically positioned as a centre of excellence for integrated, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research, bringing together expertise in parasitology, microbiology, entomology, epidemiology, clinical trials, environmental health, social and behavioural sciences, health systems research, and digital and geospatial technologies. Our work is grounded in the conviction that sustainable solutions emerge when rigorous science is combined with contextual intelligence, ethical responsibility, and deep community engagement.

Our Integrated Approach

Our integrated approach ensures that research outputs:

Inform evidence-based policy and decision-making
Strengthen national and sub-national health systems
Accelerate disease control, elimination and sustainability agendas
Build local and regional research capacity
Translate innovation into measurable public health and social impact

Trusted Partner

REFOTDE is purposefully designed to engage with a diverse ecosystem of international donors, development partners, academic institutions, governments, and communities. Our institutional philosophy combines:

Scientific excellence and methodological rigour
Strong governance, transparency and accountability
Interdisciplinary collaboration and systems thinking
Context-sensitive innovation grounded in lived realities

We speak the language of funders, policymakers, scientists, and communities alike, positioning REFOTDE as a credible, agile, and forward-looking partner capable of delivering high-value research and transformative outcomes.

Events & News

Strategic and Global Partnerships

We are actively expanding strategic collaborations with universities, research institutions, government bodies, international consortia, donors, and humanitarian organizations. These partnerships strengthen scientific rigor, foster