The SELeCT project (Strengthening Laboratory Capacities in the St. Joseph's Catholic Hospital for Clinical Trials on Infectious Diseases) translates as "Strengthening the Laboratory Capacities of St. Joseph's Catholic Hospital in Monrovia for Clinical Trials on Infectious Diseases."
This initiative is being carried out in consortium between the Monrovia Hospital, Juan Ciudad ONGD and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), and its objective is to contribute to improving the Hospital's laboratory diagnostic capacity, building professional skills among its staff, and raising awareness among the population of the surrounding communities about the importance of scientific research.
The project began in March 2016 and will end in July 2017. The goal is that by the end of the projectâfunded by the World Health Organization and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnershipâthe hospital will have a clinical trials unit ready to operate.
Guillermo MartĂnez holds a PhD in Health Sciences from the University of Zaragoza. He is a social researcher and cooperation project manager with eight years of experience in sub-Saharan Africa and a keen interest in gender and vulnerable populations, harmful traditional practices, and new information and communication technologies for health.
When did you first travel to Africa and what countries have you visited?
The first time I traveled to Africa was to Uganda in 2009. I volunteered to teach a research methodology workshop at a rural university in the Kanoni-Mpigi district, and while there, I extended my stay for three months to develop my own ethnographic research project. Since then, I've had the opportunity to work in Gambia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, and now Liberia.
What does your work consist of within this project?
I work as Operations Manager, primarily responsible for implementing the SELeCT project, and, as ISGlobal's representative in Liberia, I am responsible for building ties with local research and education institutions to promote a work agenda to advance evidence-based knowledge of global health issues.
What actions are you taking on this trip to Monrovia?
We are working in several directions. On the one hand, we are training hospital staff in good clinical and laboratory practices through an eLearning platform and through in-person field training. On the other hand, we will train community leaders in research fundamentals and create a community advisory committee to allow these trained leaders to contribute to the design and implementation of future research projects.
In addition, we are finalizing how we will contribute to the redistribution and equipment of the hospital laboratory so that it meets the ideal quality standards for clinical research work.
Why is this project important?
After fourteen years of civil war and the Ebola crisis, Liberia's health system is considerably weakened and requires technical, logistical, and financial support from the international community. In addition to suffering from an alarming lack of properly equipped infrastructure and clinical and laboratory personnel, Liberia lacks sufficient research capacity to independently conduct its own clinical trials.
This project will contributeâthrough an emphasis on compliance with quality standards and the training, development, and ongoing monitoring of project beneficiaries by ISGlobal research expertsâto improving laboratory capabilities, research project leadership and management, and establishing scientific partnerships with renowned scientific institutions outside Liberia.
For ISGlobal, being in Liberia is also important because this country is a clear example of a population with significant health needs, severely affected by the high incidence of various infectious diseases, with serious problems accessing an equitable, free, and quality health system, and with numerous opportunities to research and translate research results into national health policies that translate into improved health and well-being of the Liberian people, especially the most vulnerable, mothers and children.
Training with staff at St. Joseph's Catholic Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia, in August 2016.
By Adriana Castro, Head of Communications at Juan Ciudad NGO.
Photos: Guillermo MartĂnez (ISGlobal) and Juan Ciudad NGO archive.
