Melvin Obadha is a researcher working across health economics, health policy, health systems, and global health. His academic work has focused heavily on Kenya, where he has studied healthcare financing, universal health coverage, provider payment systems, and priority setting.

He is currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow and Impact Scholar at the University of Michigan Center for Global Health Equity. His newer research examines how climate change is affecting the health of pastoralist communities in Kenya's dryland regions.

Who Is Melvin Obadha?

Melvin Obadha, DPhil, MSc, has an interdisciplinary background combining economics, healthcare policy, and global health.

He completed a DPhil in Clinical Medicine, specializing in Health Economics and Health Policy, at the University of Oxford. Before that, he completed an MSc in Global Health and Development at University College London.

His research interests currently include:

• Health economics
• Health policy and health systems
• Universal health coverage
• Health financing
• Priority setting
• Climate change and health
• Pandemic preparedness
• Digital health
• Health workforce
• Health equity

His University of Michigan profile also lists interests in infectious diseases and snakebite envenoming.

Research on Universal Health Coverage

Universal health coverage, or UHC, is one of the central themes in Melvin Obadha's research.

UHC aims to ensure that people can access essential healthcare without suffering serious financial hardship. The challenge for policymakers is deciding which services should receive funding when resources are limited.

Obadha examined this issue in his doctoral thesis, titled Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis in Priority Setting for Universal Health Coverage in Kenya.

His research explored whether multi-criteria decision analysis, or MCDA, could help Kenya prioritize health interventions for a UHC benefit package.

The study considered criteria including:

• Burden of disease
• Cost of intervention
• Effectiveness
• Equity
• Existing health priorities
• Health-system capacity

The thesis concluded that MCDA was feasible to implement in Kenya, while also identifying limitations that policymakers would need to consider.

Research on Healthcare Provider Payments

Melvin Obadha has also published research on the way healthcare providers are paid.

One important study examined providers' preferences for capitation payment arrangements in Kenya.

Capitation generally involves paying healthcare providers a predetermined amount for an enrolled population rather than paying separately for every individual service.

The study collected data from 233 senior health facility managers across 98 facilities in seven Kenyan counties.

Researchers found preferences for:

• More frequent payment schedules
• More timely payments
• Higher capitation rates
• A more limited group of services covered under capitation

The annual capitation rate was the most important characteristic for respondents.

Community Health Worker Research

Obadha's academic work has also examined incentives for community health workers.

He contributed to research studying the preferences of community health volunteers in Kenya using discrete choice experiments.

Community health workers play an important role in bringing basic healthcare closer to communities, but programs can struggle with motivation, retention, workload, and compensation.

The research examined which combinations of financial and non-financial incentives community health workers valued.

This type of evidence can help policymakers design health-worker programs that better reflect the needs of the people delivering community healthcare.

Climate Change and Pastoralist Health

Melvin Obadha's current work at the University of Michigan brings climate change into his health-systems research.

His research investigates how climate change affects pastoralist communities in Kenya's drylands.

Important factors include:

• Water scarcity
• Water quality
• Extreme weather
• Infectious diseases
• Livelihood changes
• Health inequalities

Pastoralist communities can be particularly exposed to climate pressures because their livelihoods often depend on livestock, land, water, and seasonal environmental conditions.

This work connects environmental change with public health and health equity.

Melvin Obadha at the University of Michigan

The University of Michigan welcomed Obadha as an Impact Scholar in September 2025.

His mentorship team spans environmental studies, social sciences, and medicine, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his climate and health research.

He was also listed among the poster presenters at the 2026 Institutional Global Health Summit hosted by the Center for Global Health Equity.

Why Melvin Obadha's Research Matters

A common question runs through much of his research:

How can health systems make better and fairer decisions when resources are limited?

His work approaches this question through:

• Healthcare financing
• Provider payment design
• Universal health coverage
• Health priority setting
• Community health workforce incentives
• Climate-related health risks

These areas have practical implications for policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities.

How to Find Melvin Obadha Research Papers

Researchers searching for his publications can use focused queries such as:

• Melvin Obadha health economics
• Melvin Obadha Kenya
• Melvin Obadha universal health coverage
• Melvin Obadha capitation
• Melvin Obadha MCDA
• Melvin Obadha climate change

Academic discovery platforms such as Canyam can also help users explore scholars, papers, journals, and related research topics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Melvin Obadha?

Melvin Obadha is a health economics, health policy, and global health researcher currently serving as a Post-Doctoral Fellow and Impact Scholar at the University of Michigan Center for Global Health Equity.

Where did Melvin Obadha study?

He completed his DPhil at the University of Oxford and previously earned an MSc in Global Health and Development from University College London.

What does Melvin Obadha research?

His research covers health economics, healthcare financing, universal health coverage, priority setting, health systems, and climate change and health.

What is his current research focus?

His current work examines how climate change is affecting the health of pastoralist communities in Kenya's dryland regions.

Final Thoughts

Melvin Obadha's research connects health economics, health policy, universal health coverage, and climate-related health challenges.

From studying healthcare payment systems to examining climate change and pastoralist health, his work focuses on practical questions about how health systems can use evidence and limited resources more effectively and equitably.