New approaches for funding research and innovation in Africa

It is undoubted that African countries’ individual and collective aspirations of economic development through research and innovation are in line with trends elsewhere. Like elsewhere in different parts of the world, African countries have been exploring different approaches, institutional reforms, models and mechanisms towards more efficient and effective funding and financing of research and innovation. This paper derives from a study which used a combination of primary and secondary data sources to inform current debates and reviews on the re-organization of research and innovation funding in Africa. The study specifically sought to identify and analyse “new approaches for funding research and innovation in Africa”. Study findings show that the importance of research and innovation is rated medium to high and is increasing in most of the African countries. This is demonstrated by practice, institutional and policy provisions for science, technology and innovation (STI), which have been instituted in the last few years. A number of dynamic new funding models have been developed, adopted and deployed in countries and sectors to deal with the realities of decreasing traditional funding for research and innovation sources. These models, encompassing partnerships, co-funding and multi-disciplinary approaches, seek to ensure context-driven, efficient and effective utilisation of scarce resources. Challenges ranging from insufficient political will to lack of implementation plans and uncoordinated approaches to STI were said to be stalling the expansion and sustainable deployment of the new funding models. This study advances a number of recommendations on how science granting councils and national governments can leverage their access to global intellectual resources and convening power to further strengthen availability of capabilities and funding for different stages of the research and innovation value chain

Science Councils and Financing of Research, Development and Innovation in Africa

The African Union’s Agenda 2063, supported by the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024), advocates for economic development that leverages the knowledge-based economy and especially the potential of STI in upgrading industrial activities. It is incontestable that research is fundamental for contextualized generation of new knowledge, adopting and adapting existing innovations and knowledge, and their application to Africa’s economic and human developmental needs. African countries’ innovation ecosystems that support the aforementioned goals, and the funding of research and STI through science granting councils (SGCs) and other actors, are critical. This chapter discusses three key issues on the funding of STI and research: first – how Africa has historically funded STI and the reasons behind adoption of certain approaches; second, the shortcomings of historical and current funding models; and third, innovative funding models from the continent and elsewhere that can be adopted to accelerate local research and innovation activities. Adopting a historical and contemporary approach, the chapter explores how private and public actors across Africa can play a significant role and imbue resilience in financing research and innovation. The chapter also explores various strategies and measures research organizations use to align their activities with national development policies

Different, resilient and relevant: A conversation about time and space for the Zimbabwean diaspora

This paper revisits the roles that Zimbabwean diaspora populations can play in shaping economic development trajectories in Zimbabwe. Building a case for recognition and harnessing of the difference, resilience and relevance of these populations, this paper argues for a conversation around time and space as vantage points of knowledge co-location and co-creation which can be leveraged at different scales to enhance individual and societal progress. Using a case study of Zimbabweans in the UK, we explore people’s current locations in different professional settings, how they had to adjust from different or similar roles that they played in Zimbabwe and how this adjustment process could be a source of lessons as Zimbabwe adjusts into a new political atmosphere. In particular, one adjustment that was inevitable was the mindset on the time resource, in professional as well as the wider social spaces. We envisage these adjustments and shifts to be tangible assets that would enable a different, yet relevant contribution to an evolving Zimbabwe by the diaspora. The idea of difference, resilience and relevance have long permeated the stories of Zimbabweans in the diaspora. As a diaspora population Zimbabweans regularly share experiences of sustained struggle, of constant compromise, that demonstrate a different kind of resilience, of battles to stay relevant against often challenging situations

Scarce quality assurance documentation in major clinical trial registries for approved medicines used in post-marketing clinical trials

BACKGROUND: This research reviewed major Clinical Trial Registries (CTRs) and assessed the availability of fields on quality assurance for approved medicines used as Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs) in phase-IV clinical trials. // METHODS: Two reviewers independently assessed CTRs of International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICJME) and of WHO platforms. Each CTR was checked by two reviewers on availability of fields on brand name; manufacturer’s name; approval status; approving authority; compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices; and quality testing. In case of discrepancy, consensus was sought between the two reviewers. // RESULTS: Of 19 identified CTRs, 8 and 6 belonged to WHO and ICMJE, respectively, while 5 were equally part of both platforms. All CTRs had an “intervention” field where data on IMPs and IMP comparators are captured. The Canadian CTR used “drug name” rather than “intervention”. The EU, Peruvian, and UK CTRs had fields for “brand name”. But only the EU CTR had fields for “manufacturer’s name”, “approval status”, and “approving authority”. None of the CTRs had fields on “compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices” or “quality testing”. // CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that none of the CTRs of ICMJE and ICTRP platforms has adequate fields to establish that the source of post-marketing IMPs is of assured quality. This is astonishing given the lengthy requirements in WHO and ICMJE guidelines. Considering the relation between IMP quality and safety of clinical trial participants, the gap of quality assurance fields should be bridged at CTRs concurrently to adjustments of WHO and ICMJE guidelines on CTRs. Specifically, IMP quality testing addressing issues on IMP appearance, impurities, microbial contamination, and dosing should be conducted and reported before, during, and after clinical trial conduct. Until adoption of these measures, the EU CTR should be preferred for registration of phase-IV clinical trials conducted in countries lacking stringent regulatory capacities

Nitrogen effect on zinc biofortification of maize and cowpea in Zimbabwean smallholder farms

Agronomic biofortification of crops with zinc (Zn) can be enhanced under increased nitrogen (N) supply. Here, the effects of N fertilizer on grain Zn concentration of maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) were determined at two contrasting sites in Zimbabwe over two seasons. All treatments received soil and foliar zinc‐sulphate fertilizer. Seven N treatments, with three N rates (0, 45, and 90 kg ha−1 for maize; 0, 15, and 30 kg ha−1 for cowpea), two N forms (mineral and organic), and combinations thereof were used for each crop in a randomized complete block design (n = 4). Maize grain Zn concentrations increased from 27.2 to 39.3 mg kg−1 across sites. At 45 kg N ha−1, mineral N fertilizer increased maize grain Zn concentration more than organic N from cattle manure or a combination of mineral and organic N fertilizers. At 90 kg N ha−1, the three N fertilizer application strategies had similar effects on maize grain Zn concentration. Co‐application of N and Zn fertilizer was more effective at increasing Zn concentration in maize grain than Zn fertilizer alone. Increases in cowpea grain Zn concentration were less consistent, although grain Zn concentration increased from 39.8 to 52.7 mg kg−1 under optimal co‐applications of N and Zn. Future cost/benefit analyses of agronomic biofortification need to include information on benefits of agro‐fortified grain, complex farmer management decisions (including cost and access to both N and Zn fertilizers), as well as understanding of the spatial and site‐specific variation in fertilizer responses

WHO 2010 Guidelines for Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission in Zimbabwe: Modeling Clinical Outcomes in Infants and Mothers

The Zimbabwean national prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) program provided primarily single-dose nevirapine (sdNVP) from 2002-2009 and is currently replacing sdNVP with more effective antiretroviral (ARV) regimens.Published HIV and PMTCT models, with local trial and programmatic data, were used to simulate a cohort of HIV-infected, pregnant/breastfeeding women in Zimbabwe (mean age 24.0 years, mean CD4 451 cells/µL). We compared five PMTCT regimens at a fixed level of PMTCT medication uptake: 1) no antenatal ARVs (comparator); 2) sdNVP; 3) WHO 2010 guidelines using "Option A" (zidovudine during pregnancy/infant NVP during breastfeeding for women without advanced HIV disease; lifelong 3-drug antiretroviral therapy (ART) for women with advanced disease); 4) WHO "Option B" (ART during pregnancy/breastfeeding without advanced disease; lifelong ART with advanced disease); and 5) "Option B+:" lifelong ART for all pregnant/breastfeeding, HIV-infected women. Pediatric (4-6 week and 18-month infection risk, 2-year survival) and maternal (2- and 5-year survival, life expectancy from delivery) outcomes were projected.Eighteen-month pediatric infection risks ranged from 25.8% (no antenatal ARVs) to 10.9% (Options B/B+). Although maternal short-term outcomes (2- and 5-year survival) varied only slightly by regimen, maternal life expectancy was reduced after receipt of sdNVP (13.8 years) or Option B (13.9 years) compared to no antenatal ARVs (14.0 years), Option A (14.0 years), or Option B+ (14.5 years).Replacement of sdNVP with currently recommended regimens for PMTCT (WHO Options A, B, or B+) is necessary to reduce infant HIV infection risk in Zimbabwe. The planned transition to Option A may also improve both pediatric and maternal outcomes

Early infant HIV-1 diagnosis programs in resource-limited settings: opportunities for improved outcomes and more cost-effective interventions

Early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV-1 infection confers substantial benefits to HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected infants, to their families, and to programs providing prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services, but has been challenging to implement in resource-limited settings. In order to correctly inform parents/caregivers of infant infection status and link HIV-infected infants to care and treatment, a 'cascade' of events must successfully occur. A frequently cited barrier to expansion of EID programs is the cost of the required laboratory assays. However, substantial implementation barriers, as well as personnel and infrastructure requirements, exist at each step in the cascade. In this update, we review challenges to uptake at each step in the EID cascade, highlighting that even with the highest reported levels of uptake, nearly half of HIV-infected infants may not complete the cascade successfully. We next synthesize the available literature about the costs and cost effectiveness of EID programs; identify areas for future research; and place these findings within the context of the benefits and challenges to EID implementation in resource-limited settings

An interdisciplinary and development lens on knowledge translation

Knowledge translation as a dynamic and iterative process that includes synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically-sound application of knowledge, is key to success in projects that require collaboration between individuals, stakeholders or communities. We use two case studies from South Africa: an AIDS vaccine trial site and a policy arena for the attempted harmonisation of biotechnology policies. We demonstrate how the use of an interdisciplinary methodology asks different questions of the knowledge translation (KT) process and foregrounds the importance of the wider socio-economic and political context. The case studies highlight particular problems for the KT process in developing countries and resource-constrained environments which conventional analyses of technology and policy processes may not demonstrate. We conclude that context-specific and dynamic capabilities and capacities are required for effective KT in developing countries. We aim to add methodologically and conceptually to the study of KT and to build capacity for exploring it