Strengthening the path from clinical trials to patient care: ACB Delegation visits EDCTP Africa Office
On 24 June 2026, the Africa Office of the EDCTP Association hosted a delegation from the Africa Constituency Bureau (ACB) of the Global Fund. The delegation was led by the new Executive Director of the ACB, Dr Henry Fomundam, accompanied by Mr Ranjit Mujumdar, advisor to the ACB. The visit focused on exploring concrete avenues of collaboration to ensure that life‑saving innovations emerging from clinical research are rapidly and effectively translated into policy and practice across African countries.
From clinical success to real-world impact
Over the past two decades, the EDCTP programmes have played a pivotal role in advancing the fight against poverty‑related and neglected infectious diseases. Since its inception in 2004, EDCTP has helped build a strong portfolio of clinical research, supporting the development of new tools against HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases. To date, nine EDCTP‑funded products have been developed through its pipeline. These include landmark innovations such as the first malaria vaccines, and innovative paediatric formulations and medicines for HIV, TB, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases. These EDCTP-funded initiatives have also directly informed updates of several World Health Organization (WHO) national and other guidelines on disease treatment and prevention, further amplifying their global health impact.
Discussions during the visit highlighted that WHO recommendations alone are not sufficient to save lives. The real test lies in how quickly and effectively countries can integrate these innovations into their health systems and deliver them to the people who need them most.
Persistent bottlenecks in translating evidence into practice
Many low‑ and middle‑income countries, including those in Africa, continue to face systemic bottlenecks in moving from clinical trial success into widespread implementation. These challenges include poor health financing, fragile health and regulatory systems, and limited absorptive capacity, meaning that even where trials have taken place, national systems may be under‑equipped to introduce these interventions.
The role of the Africa Constituency Bureau
Established in 2012 and officially launched in Addis Ababa in 2017, the Africa Constituency Bureau of the Global Fund brings together the two African constituencies represented at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) and West and Central Africa (WCA).
In total, the ACB represents 46 African countries and their respective constituency delegations. The Bureau’s mandate is to strengthen coordination, amplify African voices in Global Fund decision‑making, and enhance the capacity of countries to effectively utilise Global Fund resources to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
A strategic conversation on collaboration
During the visit, EDCTP Africa Office staff, including Dr Thomas Nyirenda, Ms Michelle Nderu, Dr Michelle Sigh, Dr Elodie Ekoka, and Ms Mariska Louw, engaged in discussions with Dr Fomundam and Mr Mujumdar on how closer collaboration between the ACB and EDCTP could ensure that clinical trial investments do not go to waste. The aim is to minimise delays once research yields safe, effective, and affordable interventions and to ensure that these reach the people who need them most.