Led by Benjamin Tsofa and Jacob McKnight, the project named \"A Novel Extreme Weather Risk Insurance System for Kenya (NEWRISK)\u201d will focus on using the latest methods to provide focused data on extreme weather, population vulnerability, and health system capacity readiness across various climatic zones in Kenya.
Dr Suwarti began her journey with OUCRU Indonesia in 2018 as an awardee of the OUCRU Young Scientist Fellowship programme, when she embarked on a research journey into leptospirosis, a neglected tropical disease. Her curiosity and commitment to improving health outcomes have seen her research interests expand to the molecular diagnostic of Tuberculosis, Covid-19, and HIV.
KWTRP hosted 153 students for the Annual School Leavers Attachment Scheme (SLAS) Open Day. The SLAS open day targets top performing students in Kilifi to give them an opportunity to information from various stakeholders and scientists that would help them firm up or redefine their career aspirations. It is an opportunity to give the students information about the need to take science and health related careers with the focus on creating the next pool of researchers in Kenya, Africa and beyond.
New work from the Medicine Quality Group at IDDO and MORU pilots the use of stable isotope mass spectrometry to estimate where falsified antimalarials and their components come from. The study, published in Scientific Reports, is a collaboration between the Medicine Quality Research Group, LOMWRU, and MORU Bangkok, working with stable isotope scientists in Utah, USA.
Dr Tabitha Mwangi, a former KWTRP scientist now working in the UK, has written an inspirational book targeted at High school going children but also useful in shaping students already in university in shaping their career journeys.
Researchers have found that widely available rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), typically used for common infections, can be repurposed to detect substandard and falsified (SF) vaccines, a significant but overlooked issue in global public health. Preliminary data suggests RDTs could be utilized by international organizations and regulators to screen vaccine supply chains for falsified products. This innovative approach addresses the urgent need for affordable tools to combat the threat of SF vaccines.
Findings reveal resistance patterns for a priority pathogen--also known as typhoid fever--with high mortality and morbidity in resource-constrained settings
A team of researchers at OUCRU has pioneered a novel, microbiological assay-independent diagnostic model for Adult Tuberculous Meningitis (TBM), leveraging Bayesian latent class analysis to improve the accuracy of diagnoses. This innovative approach, recently published in BMC Infectious Diseases, promises to enhance the detection and treatment of one of the most severe forms of tuberculosis (TB).
MORU' and IDDO\u2019s Medicine Quality Research Group (MQRG) have written a chapter in a new book which examines the global issue of substandard and falsified medical products.
It is a bittersweet moment for the KWTRP family as we make changes to our Leadership team. After 10 years of tremendous growth and change in the Programme, Professor Philip Bejon officially steps down as the KWTRP Programme Executive Director. Professor Edwine Barasa takes over as the Interim Executive Director.
The FORESFA project's laboratory group met for a workshop in Trentino, Italy, with participants from Oxford, Edinburgh, London, and Vienna. The workshop focused on advancing the analysis of simulated samples, which are crucial to developing forensic techniques to analyse falsified medical products. Challenges in data integration, collaboration with external experts, and a workflow for the first pilot analysis of falsified samples were discussed.
A recent study by the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) at NDM outlined a highly effective method for dengue surveillance. The researchers improved risk detection in real time by combining space-time modelling and anomaly detection. This will help in making dengue prevention more effective not only in Thailand but also in other regions with similar challenges.
Giving high oral doses of the anti-influenza drug Favipiravir to adults with early symptomatic COVID-19 treatment did not accelerate viral clearance, say researchers in a study published in BMC Infectious Diseases. In fact, there was no difference in the rate of viral clearance between patients given favipiravir and patients receiving no study drug.
With a passion for making a tangible impact on global health, Dr Jennifer van Nuil has not only established herself as a leading scientist in her field but has also championed change and personal growth in her team.
A teledermatology initiative by OUCRU Indonesia, in partnership with the Sumba Foundation and Gadjah Mada University, has made significant strides in transforming rural healthcare in Eastern Indonesia.
Although Nipah virus gets increasing attention in epidemic preparedness, there has been almost no bioethical work on the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment. Further work on public health ethics should address communication about the modes of transmission, surveillance, measures during epidemics, and social or religious norms, as well as potential vaccine trials and the different local contexts where trials may occur, and the use of unproven therapeutics during outbreaks. Further bioethics work may help to ensure that research and public health interventions for Nipah virus disease are ethically acceptable and more likely to be effective.
In a recent study, NDM\u2019s Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) researchers introduced an anomaly detection system, as an early warning mechanism for potential malaria outbreaks in countries like Thailand.
Photosynthesis is the starting point for almost every food chain, sustaining most life on Earth. But, not all plants have perfected the process. We now have the knowledge and the tools to maximise photosynthesis in a range of food crops. As climate change-driven weather such as drought and flooding is destroying crops and threatening crop yields around the world, this research is about making sure we can grow enough food to feed ourselves. Sebastian Fuller and Jonathan Menary tell us how in an article published in The Conversation.
Medical Action Myanmar successfully eliminated falciparum malaria in Eastern Myanmar within six years, employing 172 community health workers for early diagnosis and treatment. Their approach, integrating basic health services with malaria care, led to a rapid reduction in both falciparum and vivax malaria cases. This cost-effective strategy challenges traditional, labor-intensive methods, emphasizing the importance of community health workers in achieving malaria elimination in challenging, remote areas.
A systematic review and individual patient meta-analysis found that malaria chemoprevention after hospital discharge reduces deaths in children recovering from severe anaemia by 70%, and hospital readmission by 55%.
To boost the fight against drug-resistant malaria parasites now emerging in Africa, researchers will study the safety and efficacy of a fixed-dose combination (FDC) containing three antimalarial drugs currently given to patients separately in a triple artemisinin-based combination therapy (TACT) cocktail.
A new study estimates that nearly 1 in 4 people with P. falciparum malaria in Africa are at risk of receiving too low a dose of artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), increasing the chance of treatment failure and the risk that malarial parasites develop resistance to the drug they were exposed to.
A meta-analysis of nearly 30,000 patients by the The Infectious Diseases Data Observatory researchers, suggests that a post-treatment follow-up duration of longer than 6-months may be needed to identify visceral leishmaniasis relapses.
Professor Alan Bernstein, Director of Global Health, met with students from the Nuffield Department of Medicine\u2019s MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine (IHTM).
The Global Health Network and Nursing Now Challenge launch The 1000 Challenge, a global research leadership initiative to enable health professionals to ask locally important questions to generate evidence. The initiative aims to change practice and management to improve patient management, care, or treatment in a commitment to advance Health for All.
A recent study led by OUCRU researchers highlighted the factors associated with the number of visits to one tertiary public hospital (Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City) that serves as the referral clinic for two-thirds of Vietnam for Hepatitis C virus treatment.
OUCRU are tackling the global health threat of Antimicrobial Resistance \u2013 a silent pandemic claiming millions of lives yearly. Learn about our collaborative research, our interventions in local hospitals, and our ongoing efforts to combat AMR.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis that jeopardizes our ability to effectively treat infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. To address this urgent issue, OUCRU has been implementing projects involving the youth and empowering young individuals to take action and make a difference.
As part of the global efforts to raise awareness about Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) during World AMR Awareness Week, OUCRU Nepal has been actively engaging in public outreach activities since 2016. These initiatives aim to educate and empower individuals to take action in preventing the spread of AMR and promote responsible antibiotic use in the country.
At OUCRU, we are committed to raising awareness about antimicrobial resistance in the communities we work with. To fulfil our commitment, OUCRU\u2019s Public and Community Engagement team has organised several activities and projects across our sites. The aim has been to educate and empower individuals to take action in preventing the spread of AMR by promoting responsible antibiotic use.
The KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) convened stakeholders for a follow-up session on data access and use for public health planning and decision-making. This forum focused on discussing pathways to implementing priority recommendations generated during the first consultative workshop.
AMR has been linked to close to 5 million deaths annually. We need urgent global action to counter antimicrobial resistance, but current efforts focus on solutions developed in high-income settings. If we want people to become less dependent on antibiotics, we must address the factors that create dependency on antibiotics in the first place. The solution we are working towards is fair and inclusive; it respects people and their traditions while also benefiting human health, animal welfare and the natural environment.
Dr Shobhana Nagraj (HSC) is part of the Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE) research group. The team received a prestigious Interprofessional Global Award from the Global Confederation for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice, for outstanding interprofessional teamwork and collaboration in healthcare research. The award was presented to team members at the Altogether Better Health XI conference in Doha, Qatar, November 6-9th 2023.
Dr Shobhana Nagraj (HSC) was awarded an Oxford Policy Engagement Network (OPEN) Fellowship to work alongside Good Food Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire County Council to hold a roundtable on addressing child food poverty in Oxfordshire. Entitled \u2018Listen & act: accessing healthy, affordable food for Oxfordshire\u2019s children\u2019, the event brought together key actors and stakeholders from across Oxfordshire, and resulted in a report with three key policy recommendations to improve childhood nutrition in Oxfordshire.
Professor Deirdre Hollingsworth, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology has been named as one of this year\u2019s 50 Leading Lights for Kindness & Leadership in the UK. This campaign highlights the leaders who are impacting others through kindness.
Handheld Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS) devices offer new hope for easily detecting falsified COVID-19 vaccines \u2014 even if the vaccine vials are unopened, say researchers in a paper published in Vaccine on 20 Oct 2023
The Global Health Network and the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a framework for collaboration that can maximise the impact of shared antimicrobial resistance education, policy and advocacy efforts.
In a world driven by innovation and technology, healthcare remains a cornerstone of society. Understanding the healthcare system's challenges is crucial for professionals and the public. As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering knowledge and awareness the Health Systems Collaborative (HSC) team participated in community engagement as a part of the IF Oxford Science and Ideas Festival. This event allowed participants to explore the human resources for health challenges while highlighting our work to address these issues in the UK and worldwide.
A collaborative study by researchers from the Institut de Recherche en Sciences de La Sant\u00e9 of Nanoro (IRRS-Nanoro) in Burkina Faso and IDDO/WWARN has found that giving young children vitamin and lipid supplements at the same time as seasonal malaria chemoprevention reduces the incidence of severe malaria by approx. 50%, compared to chemoprevention alone.
OUCRU will be a part of a new initiative aimed at developing a strategic roadmap for Ho Chi Minh City to become a regional Health Innovation Hub. The project, supported by a \u00a375,000 grant from the UK Government, is a strategic move to transform Ho Chi Minh City into ASEAN's leading health innovation centre.
The Broad One Health Endectocide-based Malaria Intervention in Africa project (BOHEMIA) begins its mass drug administration (MDA) activities in Kenya\u2019s Kwale County. The MDA in Kenya is being implemented by the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme and led by co-principal investigators Dr Marta Maia and Dr Joseph Mwangang
An estimated 95,000\u2013167,000 inpatients at English National Health Service (NHS) hospitals caught SARS-CoV-2 while in hospital during England\u2019s \u2018second wave\u2019 of COVID-19, between June 2020 and March 2021, reports a study in Nature. The findings reveal the scale of hospital transmissions and highlight contributing factors, such as a limited number of single rooms.
Professor Philippe Gu\u00e9rin, IDDO and WWARN\u2019s Director, has been awarded the Bailey K. Ashford Medal for his \u201cdistinguished\u201d work in tropical medicine.
In collaboration with Ho Chi Minh City's healthcare sector, OUCRU has successfully identified the primary agent causing the outbreak of pink eye disease. Testings revealed an unexpected finding: enterovirus was the primary agent, contrary to previous reports from Vietnam wherein adenovirus was the culprit.
We were delighted to hear that MORU Deputy Director of MORU and Head of Malaria & Critical Illness, Prof Arjen Dondorp, has been awarded the highly prestigious 2023 George Macdonald Medal!! This medal recognises outstanding individual contribution for conducting research leading to significant improvements in health in the tropics. It is a joint award from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (RSTMH).
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