Malaria Research in Africa: Building the Network and Connecting the Dots By Julia Royall Chief, International Programs U. S. National Library of Medicine Presented to NSF IT for Africa Workshop Arlington, Virginia January 27, 2005
A Brief Overview of MIMCom
Mandate from Malaria Researchers at seminal meeting in Dakar, Senegal in 1997 n Full access to Internet n Access to medical literature
Internet Access n 19 sites in 9 countries n n n VSAT shared bandwidth Local ISPs New broadband solutions
Training Workshops: Technical Training Searching for Researchers Kilifi, Kenya: June 2002
Document Delivery Service
Websites Supporting Research Agendas
MIMCom Partnerships
MIMCom Web Site Advisory Committee n n n Abdoulaye Djimde Andrew Githeko Louis Gouagna Saadou si. Issifou Moses Kamya Fred Kironde Kojo Koram Martha Lemnge Wilfred Mbacham Michel Missinou David Ofori-Adjei Mali Kenya Gabon Uganda Ghana Tanzania Cameroon Gabon Ghana
Internal & External Evaluations n n n Independent Panel charged by MIM Secretariat at NIH in September 2002 with conducting an independent review of the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria. MIM Secretariat Evaluation, survey of researchers working in Africa conducted in December 2002. NLM Evaluation
Evaluation Conclusions n MIMCom is making a significant difference in the professional performance of individual researchers n n n n Collaborations with colleagues Short courses Proposals written and funded Papers written and published Clinical trials E-mail access Counteracting isolation & self-esteem issues Africa-to-Africa connection needs strengthening
The MIMCom Network Today
Locations of MIMCom Sites
Potential MIMCom Network
Potential MIMCom Network n Technical n n How to connect the sites? Behavioral n n Usage like a gas expanding to fill space Appropriate use of a limited resource
Refocusing MIMCom on Medical Informatics
Dots on a Map Successful Outcomes
Professor Ayoade Oduola Coordinator WHO/TDR Functional “We have to connect the dots. ” Professor Ayoade Oduola, Functional Coordinator: Basic and Strategic Research and Manager: Committee on Pathogenesis and Applied Genomics at WHO/TDR; former Director of the Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training at the College of Medicine.
Dr. C. T. Happi Malaria Researcher “The most important part of these experiments is analysis of the data generated. And we cannot perform this analysis if we don’t have strong internet connectivity, because we definitely need access to the databases. ”
Fundamental Considerations n Can IT intervention make a difference in the morbidity & mortality of malaria? n Is the goal more dots on a map or a change in health? n Is the network an internet café or a scientific tool? n How do we use the tool? n What actions need to be performed in order to reach the desired outcome (better health)?
Information Technology n A challenge n A responsibility n Not an answer
Scientific Aims n Antimalarial Drug Resistance Network: To share raw data n Severe Malaria in African Children Network: To get large samples
Process Aims n To develop collaborations with other MIM PI’s n Vector Resistance Network: To coordinate 8 African institutes n Noguchi & Buea: regular consultation with collaborators
Outcomes n Strong researchers n Strong research sites n Improvement in health & medicine n n As a result of this, this happened As a contribution to this, this happened
Goals n Supporting research agendas n Africanizing MIMCom leadership n n Identifying talented individuals Providing means to increase relevant skills
Malaria Research Network Better Health Research Agendas Antimalaria Drug Resistance Network Severe Malaria in African Children Training IT Workshops PI Workshops Searching/Information access Enhanced Connectivity directly to the satellite or via ISP Tools Websites FTP servers Agents Caching Evaluation Quantitative/Qualitative End to End Network Performance Information Resources
Communication Links Between Partners in Research Decision Makers Communities Health Workers Researchers Schematic by Andrew Kitua
Network Snapshots
Dr. Andrew Githeko & Climatologist Kenya Senior Scientist “Now we have a system that uses scientific facts to predict the system. Before we were just guessing and we had no idea what was going to happen. ”
Nathan Mensah Data manager Ghana “Then you ask yourself as a young person, ‘Well, people have made it in Navrongo, why don’t you stay there? ’”
Tom Oluoch Systems Operator Kenya “We look at a project that is of interest and just use that to enlighten the scientific community about the benefits of using the IT to improve the project. ”
Regina Shakakata Medical librarian “We are talking of empowering our communities, empowering individuals in Africa with appropriate information so that they can take decisions about their own health. About their well-being. ”
“The internet is a reflection of our society and that mirror is going to be reflecting what we see. If we do not like what we see in that mirror the problem is not to fix the mirror, we have to fix society. ” —Internet pioneer Vint Cerf
MIMCom
MIMCom
“When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion. ” - Ethiopian adage Picture by: Gerry Killeen
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