Prof. Dr. med. Ralf Weigel is the working group leader of the Friede Springer Endowed Professorship of Global Child Health.

The fate of a sick child is not only decided in the consulting room. In order to be effective, doctors and nursing staff need a functioning environment. In this context, we ask ourselves the following questions, among others:

• To what extent can guidelines for action be adhered to in peripheral, rural healthcare facilities?
• What is the supply situation with recommended medicines?
• What are the waiting times and what are the causes of delays?

We are just as interested in the quality of care for babies in rural Malawi as we are for adolescents in a large German city. The situation at home, the nutritional status, the status of preventive measures and parents' understanding of therapy may profoundly influence the course of treatment.

These overarching, more system-determined and socially determined factors are the subject of our research. We develop our topics from the questions of those affected on the ground and view them from the perspective of the child and its rights. In addition to research questions, the education and training of healthcare professionals is an important concern for us.

Many students and young doctors want to make a contribution to global child health. Together with our partners, we can help them prepare for such assignments. We support students and postgraduates who wish to continue their academic training in this field.

‍