ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA ASLM : Role in Research and capacity Development in Africa Souleymane MBOUP

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA ASLM Research Strategy MoH/ST AUWHO Academia / Associations ASLM’s role in supporting public health laboratory research

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA Building Research Capacity Goal: Enhance capacity for understanding and conducting laboratory-related research throughout Africa Develop basic research curriculum Develop in- country capacity to conduct research Disseminate research results Compile curriculum from existing sources Develop modules for various levels Encourage use to enhance existing curriculum Grant-writing and study protocol workshops IRB training on laboratory issues Train instructors and mentors Identify in-country research needs and data Post-doctorate research fellowship Manuscript-writing workshops and support Publish African Journal of Laboratory Medicine Host scientific presentations at international meetings

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA Enhancing Synergies Goal: Enhance synergies between academia and public health laboratories, and between laboratorians and clinicians Enhance link between research institutions and public health laboratories Advocate for broader participation of laboratories at national and international levels Enhance link between laboratory and clinical medicine Advocate participation of academia in public health decision making Create multidisciplinary teams to identify in- country research priorities Facilitate mutual funding opportunities ASLM Ambassadors Laboratory directorates at national Ministries AU subcommittee of Ministers of Health focusing on laboratory issues Laboratory representation in development of national guidelines and algorithms Areas of research to foster collaboration and understanding of clinical/laboratory interface

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA Linking Academia and Ministries of Health and Science and Technology

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA Linking Academia and Public Health Laboratories

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA Facilitating Research Projects Goal: Expand laboratory-based public health research in Africa Develop laboratory research agendas Solicit funding Facilitate research Convene national panels of experts to identify and prioritize research needs Develop tool for capturing country-level research needs Develop implementation plans Advocate with international funding agencies Identify funding sources Apply for funding for multi-country projects Establish national and regional research networks Support existing networks to develop multi-country study teams Support project coordination Promote evidence- based decision- making Disseminate research results to Ministries Strategic research advisory group within Ministries to identify potential for policy outcomes Summarize research findings

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA Research Value Chain

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA Research Priority Public Health and epidemiologic studies HIV TB Other infectious diseases Non Infectious diseases Etc.. Regular update

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA Support Local Manufacturing Goal: Support local manufacturing of diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines Provide links to manu- facturers Support clinical trials Ensure quality Establish teams to identify needs and gaps in national manufacturing industries Create forum to inform manufacturers of public health priorities and product needs Provide guidance on good laboratory practice to support clinical trials Create national networks of laboratories capable of participation in clinical trials Facilitate links between academia and private sector for bioequivalence and bioavailability studies Establish standards to evaluate products Support manufacturer ongoing QA/QC programs Create capacity to evaluate new products and conduct post- marketing surveillance In collaboration with National Regulatory Authority identify and support Center of Excellence for early evaluation of new products identify mechanism for effective post-marketing surveillance

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA Local Manufacturing Value Chain

Communications Web Portal “Going Live” goal of Jan 1, 2012 Newsletter and Communications Inaugural newsletter published Nov 14 Communications going out to 1253 contacts Social Networks Twitter site active and linked to current website Need to set up Facebook/Google+ and link sites Need buffer to increase visibility

Web Portal – Final Homepage Design Web Portal content is built into the framework Priority areas: – Membership profiles (profile pages & payments) – Static Content (information pages, spotlights) – Libraries (laboratory tools) Live release goal of Jan 1, 2012

Web Portal – Membership Profiles Priority area Members must be able to upload profiles Need online banking capability to receive payments Payment receipt presents a major risk to the project

Newsletter & Communications Inaugural newsletter “Lab Culture” published Nov 14 th Bumper edition (subsequent issues will be smaller and non-print) 300 copies printed for distribution at ICASA Next edition – Feb 2012 – Monthly communications to 1253 ‘members’

Social Networking High visibility Connect with donors, implementing partners etc. Important for ASLM to have a public face and to be engaged in laboratory science field Investment required to expand scope and increase presence Need to expand activity and link to other sites e.g. Facebook/Google+ ASLM should be go-to site for lab- Related news

Statistics Tracking statistics on all communications and website More funding for communications could extend this to social networks Tracking enables us to see the impact of communications, web portal content, stories etc. – we see peaks every time an communication is sent out (next slide) Excellent global coverage but need more hits (web portal should increase nos. greatly)

Statistics

ADVANCING THE LABORATORY PROFESSION AND NETWORKS IN AFRICA ASLM Research Blueprint Developed 11/11 by the ASLM Research Advisory Committee Dr. Alashle Abimiku, PhD University of Maryland, USA Dr. Elizabeth Luman, PhD CDC, USA Dr. Souleymane Mboup, PharmD CADU, Senegal Dr. Tsehaynesh Mesele, PhD ASLM, Ethiopia Dr. Fausta Mosha, MD AFENET, Uganda Dr. Jack Nyamongo, MD APHL, Kenya Dr. Trevor Peter, MDCHAI, USA Dr. Giorgio Roscigno, MD ASLM, Ethiopia Dr. John Nkengasong