Summary & Key Points
"AFROSCREEN is a multi-institutional project designed to strengthen genomic sequencing and surveillance capacities in West Africa, Central Africa, and Madagascar..."
AFROSCREEN is a multi-institutional project designed to strengthen genomic sequencing and surveillance capacities in West, Central Africa, and Madagascar. In Côte d'Ivoire, AFROSCREEN involves two international networks. These are the National Agency for AIDS and Hepatitis Research (ANRS) network, which includes the PAC-CI Program, the National Institute of Public Hygiene (INHP), and the Molecular Biology Unit (UBM) of the Treichville University Hospital; and the Pasteur Institute (IP) network, which comprises the Pasteur Institute of Côte d'Ivoire (IPCI).
A delegation of seven Ivorian experts from the ANRS network and the IP network, involved in the AFROSCREEN project, stayed in the Senegalese capital from June 28 to 31, 2024. This was during a regional colloquium organized in DAKAR, whose theme was: « A network for genomic surveillance of emerging pathogens ».
Dr. Moh and Dr. Abo, from the PAC-CI Program; Professor Koffi Stéphane and Mr. Kofi Kobina, from the UBM of the Treichville University Hospital; Dr. Amani and Professor Tiembré, from the INHP; and Dr. Kadio, from the IPCI, along with their Senegalese hosts and other experts from eleven countries, gathered at the Azalaï Hotel in Dakar to discuss the issue of consolidating the network of sequencing laboratories in West and Central Africa and to develop a strategy to ensure the long-term viability of the AFROSCREEN Project activities.
The discussions focused on the following points: facilitating face-to-face dialogue and experience sharing among partners from West Africa and Central Africa; assessing the scientific and technical achievements since the start of the programs; identifying key actions to consolidate the network; prioritizing new challenges/perspectives (scientific and network levels); discussing synergies with existing networks in the region; and identifying future concrete joint or complementary actions for Africa PGI (Pathogen Genomics Initiative) and AFROSCREEN in the field of genomic surveillance.
The participation of experts from the PAC-CI Program, the UBM of the Treichville University Hospital, the INHP, and the IPCI took place through a plenary session, round tables, and a poster session. The topics covered emphasized both general knowledge related to sequencing and genomic surveillance and the implementation activities of the AFROSCREEN project and lessons learned since its inception.
(From left to right) Mr. Kofi Kobina, Dr. Amani, and Dr. Abo Yao, posing next to one of the three posters presented at this colloquium.
While the experts at this regional colloquium unanimously agree that the AFROSCREEN project has positively impacted the health systems of the 13 participating countries, they estimate that its termination on August 31, 2024, would risk losing all the achievements. This is why the need for its extension was raised by the participants, with adjustments, including the involvement of social sciences in the activities.
Furthermore, to ensure the long-term viability of the AFROSCREEN Project activities, these experts recommend the following measures: working towards greater integration of the project activities into the health systems of the different countries to ensure the sustainability of these activities; involving social science actors to better understand the emergence of pathogens; and valuing the data from the project's implementation over three years of activities.
Since its creation in 2021, the AFROSCREEN project has provided laboratories with equipment and reagents, trained laboratory and epidemiology teams, and contributed to the establishment and strengthening of surveillance systems for SARS-CoV-2 and other priority viruses such as Ebola, Marburg, Measles, Mpox, Dengue, Rift Valley Fever, etc.
