Message from the Executive Director
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To EDCTP the year 2010 picked up where 2009 left in that more calls were launched, grants awarded and new projects got underway. Furthermore, during the course of the year thirty projects were completed among them the Kesho Bora study (a ‘better future’ in Kiswahili), which looked into the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV including during breastfeeding. The study that helped to formulate the WHO policy on the Prevention of Maternal to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV showed that treating
HIV-positive mothers with a combination of three antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) during pregnancy, delivery and the breastfeeding period significantly reduced the transmission of the virus to their babies. Among the other projects that were completed in 2010 include the multicentre clinical trials that compared the efficacy of four artemisinin-based combination drugs in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in different regions of sub-Saharan Africa and a phase Ib clinical trial of a subunit tuberculosis vaccine that was conducted in Ethiopia. Results coming from these and many other studies that are now being completed will be used to inform health policy and contribute to further development of new or improved tools in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.In the spirit of cementing the genuine African-European partnership of EDCTP, 18 November 2010 marked a very significant milestone. This was the first time that African policy makers directly represented several African constituencies at the EDCTP-EEIG General Assembly – the supreme body and the policy making organ of EDCTP. The African members of the General Assembly who attended this landmark meeting were Prof. John Gyapong, Director of Health Research Division representing WHO/AFRO Regional Health Ministries; Dr Olawale Maiyegun, the Director for Social Affairs of the African Union; and Dr Stanley Sonoiya, the Principle Health Officer of the East African Community representing African Regional Communities. The participation of African representatives at the General Assembly is important since it enables setting the agenda and priorities from the African perspective.
In 2010, several meetings were held in preparation for the renewal of the EDCTP programme. These included Connecting the Chain-II that brought together stakeholders from development and research agencies to explore how research and development programmes would complement each other in the context of the EDCTP programme. Furthermore, EDCTP stakeholders also held a consensus meeting that discussed and charted a broad strategy of the new EDCTP programme. This subsequently led to the drafting of a communication, which was submitted to the European Union Competitiveness Council under the Belgium Presidency. The Communication outlines plans for EDCTP-II which include extension of activities to incorporate all phases of clinical trials, other neglected tropical diseases and where possible collaborative research with other developing countries outside the sub-Saharan Africa. It was agreed that the new programme should build on the successes of the current programme. Furthermore, the EDCTP Secretariat visited the newer EU member states to inform them of EDCTP and invite them to join.
It goes without saying that none of these achievements would have been possible without the tireless contributions from all partners comprising the EDCTP initiative. On behalf of the entire partnership I extend our thanks to all of you who have been involved with EDCTP and supported us through the years. The fight must go on.
Charles S Mgone
Executive Director