Africa Research Excellence Fund is proud to announce a partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Kibong’oto National Infectious Diseases Hospital (KIDH) in Tanzania.
This project involves:
- Funding from GIZ’s Global Programme on Pandemic Prevention and Response, One Health
- Working with KIDH stakeholders to provide professional, research and leadership capacity development programmes for early to late postdoctoral researchers and mid to senior research leaders
KIDH Hospital and GIZ Staff at a meeting held in KIDH, Tanzania in June 2023. In the picture from left to right: Dr Idd Makala(KIDH), Ms Pendomartha Shayo(KIDH), Dr Anna Chongolo(KIDH Ag Director), Dr Henry Irunde(GIZ), Dr Wiebke Kobel(GIZ), Mr Arbogast Emmanuel(KIDH), Mr Bukard Koemm(GIZ), Prof Stellah Mpagama(KIDH), Ms Sarah Matoi(KIDH), Ms Neema Mbinga(KIDH), Dr Belinda Nyaulingo(KIDH) and Mr Fadhiili Kakingilima (KIDH)
Supporting the wider health research agenda, starting with the East African Community
In 2010, KIDH was transformed into a leading health facility for the preparedness, response and control of disease outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. Both AREF and GIZ have strong connections with the hospital and researchers within the East African Community (EAC). AREF recently provided a Publication Writing programme to German Development Bank (KFW) funded network of EAC researchers working on mobile laboratories. GIZ has developed multiple collaborations with the EAC, including through the global and closely related regional Project to Support Pandemic Preparedness in the East African Region (PanPrep). For further details about this project, please visit this link.
Sir Professor Tumani Corrah, Founder and Interim CEO at AREF said: “Working with GIZ to strengthen health research capacity at KIDH in Tanzania feeds into our long-term aspiration to extend such opportunities throughout East Africa and beyond to include other regions in Africa. The recent pandemic has revealed our level of pandemic response, and how it affects Africa differently. This partnership will lay the foundation for a robust epi/pandemic preparedness.”
Ruth Schumacher, Head Global Programme at GIZ expressed: “We are really pleased that this new collaboration with AREF is beginning. One of our programme’s aims is to strengthen scientific collaboration across sectors and disciplines and improve the evidence base to inform policy making and programming for pandemic prevention and response. This collaboration will support this aim whilst also investing in vital research capacities for the region.”
Ensuring a one health approach
This partnership will ensure a One Health approach that would aid primary prevention for zoonotic diseases and other health threats arising from anti-microbiological resistance and health impacts of climate change on health. At the end of this project, we hope to increase research capacity for infectious diseases, pandemics, One Health approaches and early career research development across the research community.
Dr Leonard Subi, Director at KIDH hospital said: “KIDH has been tasked to take the national role in infectious diseases control and prevention including those of One-Health nature. On behalf of the KIDH management, I receive this initiative with both hands. We are very enthusiastic to ensure we sustain and expand to meet the expectations of the GIZ, AREF and the Government of Tanzania in setting a local resilient system and contribute globally in pandemic preparedness particularly infectious disease threats.”
Next steps:
- Upcoming community call: we are hosting an online event in July to share our project aims, the impact it will have and to listen to country-based perspectives from our partners at the Kibong’oto National Infectious Disease Hospital. Stay in touch through our Twitter, LinkedIn and Newsletter for updates about this event and project.
Further information
If you would like to know more, contact AREF on: aref@aref-africa.org.uk and the GIZ team on: eacppoh@giz.de.
Phone AREF: +447 207 395 2415
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About Africa Research Excellence Fund
AREF seeks to nurture, mentor and support health researchers across Africa to become research experts and leaders, capable of tackling African and global health challenges.
Our mission comes at a time when the spread of diseases such as Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19 show the major risks to global health when one part of the world does not have the required research capacity to timely detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
AREF has been supporting African researchers’ capacity and career development since 2015. We have worked with scientists in 40 African countries, transcending Anglo-, Franco-, and -Lusophone barriers and crossing West-East and North-South divides. We have also supported researchers across a wide range of disciplines – from discovery scientists to clinicians.
Find out more about our career development programmes
About GIZ’S One Health Pandemic Preparedness Initiative
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH through the Global Programme Pandemic Prevention and Response, One Health (GP-PPOH) aims to strengthen capacities in partner countries, regional organisations including the EAC and at global level to be better able to take effective measures to prevent and respond to epidemics and pandemics with a One Health approach. In the EAC region and under the leadership of the EAC Secretariat, the GP -PPOH supports strengthening capacities, coordination and cooperation across sectors and countries to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks of public health concern, based on regional needs and priorities.
Learn more about GIZ’S One Health programme
