IMMSTAT@Cure dissemination meetings in Uganda and Kenya: sharing research, and strengthening communities

June 2025

As part of the EDCTP-funded PREV_PKDL project, final dissemination meetings were held by the Makerere University, Uganda, and the Kenya Medical Research Center, Kenya. The purpose of these meetings was to share with the local communities and stakeholders the preliminary results and expected benefit of the IMMSTAT@Cure multicentre research study which aimed at understanding the pathogenesis and underlying immune mechanism of post kala azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) in patients treated for visceral leishmaniasis (VL). ,.

Several key points were discussed to better inform the communities about the current VL landscape in the regions, and to show how the study’s findings can positively influence community behaviour and public health efforts.

The meeting in Uganda took place on 16 May 2025 at Amudat Hospital, involving community members and health officials from the Karamoja sub-region. The team shared preliminary results and discussed the importance of community participation and cooperation for the success of current and future studies.

A week later, on 27 May 2025, the meeting in Kenya gathered researchers from KEMRI, local hospital staff, county government representatives, and Ministry of Health officials at Koriema Resort in Baringo County. Presentations covered the study designfindings as well as the improvements in local capacity through staff training and equipment donations.

Both meetings were successful in raising awareness about VL and in promoting collaboration between researchers, health authorities, and communities towards controlling and eventually eliminating the disease.

Picture 1, 2 and 3: Dissemination Meeting  Amudat Hospital, Uganda. 16 May 2025

Picture 4 and 5 below:  Dissemination Meeting Baringo County, Kenya. 27 May 2025. Director of Health, prevention and promotional services (4) and group photo (5)

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PREV_PKDL is a collaborative EU funded project within the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP2) Programme (RIA2016V-1640).