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EDCTP alumnus - a well- known research clinician, epidemiologist, academic and scientist in multidrug resistance tuberculosis (MDR-TB) was recognised by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) for her research excellence in the management of patients with MDR and XDR TB. Dr Nesri Padayatchi, a scientist and Deputy Director at the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), received the SAMRC 2018 Silver Scientific Achievement Award, a medal, at the SAMRC Scientific Merit awards in last year.

“SAMRC recognises and congratulates you as an outstanding South African scientist who has contributed to raising the profile of science in South Africa,” said Dr Mike Sathekge, chairperson of the SAMRC Board.

Professor Nesri Padayatchi, MBChB, DCH(Paediatrics), DTM&H (Tropical Medicine), DPH(Public Health), DHSM (Health Management) MS(Epi), is an honorary Associate Professor in Public Health and Nursing, in the College of Health Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa.

She has more than 30 years clinical and research experience in the management of TB and related problems. Respected as an authority on the treatment of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, her experience extends to the design and implementation of several self-initiated TB-HIV clinical trials as the Principal and/or co-investigator of the studiesShe serves as the South African Principal Investigator for the Columbia University-Southern African Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research Programme since 2009. She serves on the South African National Advisory Board for MDR –TB since 2010 to date and on the KwaZulu Natal MDR-TB technical advisory committee since 2013.

Her biggest scientific contribution has been as a co-investigator in the SAPiT and STRIDE (A5221) studies which changed not only South African guidelines for the management of patients with TB-HIV coinfection, but also WHO and DHHS guidelines.

She has participated as the Principal Investigator in the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention TB Trials Consortium and was the CAPRISA Principal Investigator for the ACTG studies from 2006-2013. She has published several scientific papers on TB-HIV in high impact journals and is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa.

Padayatchi serves on several scientific bodies that include, the International Union against TB and Lung Diseases (IUATLD) Ethics Advisory Group, the Board of the South African HIV Clinicians society, the South African National and Provincial Advisory Boards for MDR –TB.

“I am honoured and humbled to be recognised by the South African Research Medical Council and my peers,” said Padayatchi. “TB remains the leading cause of death in South Africa  and MDR-TB, in particular, threatens the gains made in HIV. MDR TB remains a serious global threat particularly in impoverished communities constrained countries.” 

The top 30 health-oriented innovations selected from a field of more than 2 400 entries to the first-ever WHO Innovation Challenge will be presented on opening day of the second WHO Africa Health Forum in Praia, Cabo Verde, on 26 March 2019.

The WHO Innovation Challenge received a total of 2 471 applications in just four weeks from 77 countries – 44 countries in Africa. A panel of independent evaluators assessed and profiled the innovations in terms of the potential for making impact as well as ability to be scaled up in a sustainable way. More than a third of the submissions came from women.

In addition to showcasing the 30 best-profiled innovations during the three-day WHO Africa Health Forum in Cabo Verde, other innovations that were submitted will be exhibited on our dynamic virtual marketplace platform currently under development. When fully operational, the platform will connect diverse stakeholders, ranging from government ministry officials and health experts to academics, business angels and investors to support further development and the scaling up of these ideas.

Among all the applications received, 639 made it through to the evaluation phase. This is a reflection of the challenges that innovators face in making progress from ideas to development and eventual broad-based application of their solutions. Investments in the innovation ecosystem that are complemented by innovation-friendly policies remain critical for further encouraging and supporting development of innovative solutions to solve Africa’s health challenges.

https://afro.who.int/news/who-innovation-challenge-announce-30-finalists-africa-health-forum-cabo-verde

http://innov.afro.who.int/innovators/dr-misaki-wayengera-34

Congratulations to Dr Atinuke Olaleye who recently completely her EDCTP-TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowship and returned to her home organisation, Babock University, Nigeria to implement her re-integration plan. She was hosted by GlaxoSmithKline in Belgium.

On her return she was appointed as Director of  the Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Biotechnology (CAMRAB) at Babcock University in Nigeria. She currently holds an EDCTP Career Development Fellowship (TMA2015CDF973) titled 'Determinants and prevalence of parasite resistance among pregnant women receiving Intermittent Preventive Treatment with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) in a malaria endemic community'. 

We are proud to see the continuous development of Dr Atinuke and look forward to the results of her ongoing going study.

https://www.who.int/tdr/capacity/strengthening/career_development/atinuke-olaleye/en/

Asssistant Profrossor Traore has just completed his EDCTP Clinical Research and Development Fellowship where he was placed with Merck, Darmstadt, Germany.

Dr Traore was promoted to Assistant Professor at the University of Bobo-Dioulasso in July 2018 and as of Jan 2019 he took up the role of Technical Director of Centre Muraz in the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) of Burkina Faso.

Congratulations from the EDCTP Alumni Network!