Announcements

RESYST launches its website

posted 6 Feb 2012 07:36 by IHI Webmaster [ updated 6 Feb 2012 07:42 ]

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has launched the website of its new project, RESYST. Resyst is an international research consortium which aims to enhance the resilience and responsiveness of health systems to promote health and health equity and reduce poverty. Ifakara Health Institute is one of the founding member of RESYST. Commenting on the new website, RESYST principal investigator in Tanzania Dr. Fatuma Manzi says the website would facilitate live discussions among partners.

TTCIH and the Swiss TPH announce a malaria course

posted 6 Feb 2012 07:13 by IHI Webmaster

The Ifakara-based Tanzania Training Centre of International Health and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute have jointly organized a malaria course that will take place in April this year. The malaria course is a tutorial that is aimed at strengthening the competence of researchers, public health personnel and care givers to fight malaria in Africa. Course details can be downloaded here.

VP calls for more studies on resistance and side effects of drugs

posted 6 Feb 2012 06:43 by IHI Webmaster

The Vice President of Tanzania H.E. Dr. Mohamed Gharib Bilal has commended the Ifakara Health Institute for establishing world-class research facilities in the country. The VP said this on Friday February 3, 2012 during the inauguration of IHI's clinical trials facility located at Kingani area in Bagamoyo. Dr. Bilal also asked IHI to intensify studies on resistance and possible side-effects of drugs.

"Phase I" clinical trials facility at Kingani to be inaugurated today

posted 2 Feb 2012 21:02 by IHI Webmaster

The Vice President of Tanzania His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Gharib Bilal is expected to inaugurate a new clinical trials facility of Ifakara Health Institute located at Kingani area near Bagamoyo town. IHI Bagamoyo site leader Dr. Kefas Mugittu said the construction of the facility was partly sponsored by the Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) and the government of Norway.

Could high-dose rifampicin shorten TB treatment?

posted 27 Jan 2012 05:20 by IHI Webmaster

On the 27th of January 2012, the Ifakara Health Institute has started recruitment in the PanACEA HIGHRIF tuberculosis trial at the Bagamoyo Research and Training Centre. The PanACEA HIGHRIF study is a phase II clinical trial in Tanzanian tuberculosis patients on the pharmacokinetics, safety/tolerability and efficacy of higher than standard doses rifampicin (900 and 1200 mg versus standard 600 mg). This trial (Site PI: Dr. Klaus Reither) investigates the potential of higher dosages of rifampicin to shorten and simplify the treatment of tuberculosis.

The HIGHRIF project is one of the three major components of the overarching plan of the PanACEA Consortium, funded by European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). The overall aim of the PanACEA Consortium is to advance the development of TB therapeutics, to establish TB clinical trial capacities in Sub-Saharan Africa and to establish new tools for future TB clinical trials.

Ifakara Health Institute launches a phase II TB vaccine trial

posted 21 Jan 2012 14:43 by IHI Webmaster [ updated 21 Jan 2012 14:52 ]

The Ifakara Health Institute has on January 17, 2012 started the first phase II study aimed to develop a vaccine against tuberculosis (TB). The study is an initiative of IHI’s collaboration with the Statens Serum Institut, the Aurum Institute, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, and the South African TB Vaccine Initiative.

The randomised, double-blind, clinical trial is funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) and aims to assess immunogenicity and safety of a novel tuberculosis subunit vaccine candidate (Ag85B-ESAT-6) and the IC31® adjuvant. First results are expected in 2013.

The existing Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is a live vaccine that, when given to newborns, provides partial protection against TB in the first decade of life. However, BCG does not prevent adult pulmonary disease satisfactorily and therefore has not reduced the global burden of tuberculosis. Consequently, the development of a new efficient, safe and affordable TB vaccine remains a global priority.

Research must contribute to national development

posted 16 Jan 2012 06:24 by IHI Webmaster

Former Tanzania’s Chief Medical Officer has criticized African scientists for what he described as research driven by the desire “to publish in peer reviewed journals” with less concern about the contribution of research to policy and action at national level. Dr. Gabriel Upunda warned that it is not productive for governments to give money for research if the research does not provide solutions to local problems. “The incentives for the governments to give more money to researchers should be based on the contribution of research to policy,” he said. Dr Upunda insisted that researchers must ensure that data collected are made accessible to the people who need them most. Data is available in solving the people’s problems.

More studies on zoonotic diseases vital--Prof. Marcel Tanner

posted 16 Jan 2012 03:03 by IHI Webmaster [ updated 16 Jan 2012 03:06 ]

The Director of Swiss Tropical and Public Health (Swiss TPH) has encouraged Tanzanian health researchers to expand studies on zoonotic diseases because that area was neglected for a long time. Prof. Marcel Tanner told participants of an Ifakara Health Institute stakeholders meeting in Dar es Salaam that diseases caused by infectious agents that can be transmitted between (or are shared by) animals and humans are among the neglected tropical diseases worth intensifying research activities as they will be future national and global health challenges.

Tanzania may attain MDG4 target

posted 16 Jan 2012 01:51 by IHI Webmaster

Mortality trends during the past decades suggest that Tanzania may attain the Millennium Goal 4 target "if we maintain the level of coverage of effective interventions." Dr Honorati Masanja said in Dar es Salaam that a re-analysis of DHS data shows prospects of Tanzania achieving MDG4 target. The point estimate for 2010 is 53.5 deaths per 1,000 live births. The MDG4 target for Tanzania is 48 deaths per 1,000 live births from 148 in 1990.

Government keen to translate research into innovation

posted 16 Jan 2012 00:26 by IHI Webmaster [ updated 16 Jan 2012 04:33 ]

The government of Tanzania has set aside funds to facilitate the translation of research into innovation. Opening the annual IHI retreat at White Sands Hotel in Dar es Salaam on Monday January 16, 2011, COSTECH Director General said the government has funds to support post doctoral programmes leading to innovation. Dr. Hassan Mshinda said the role of the newly established the Arusha-based Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology is meant to promote innovation in science and technology.

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