The PAMAfrica and SINDOFO consortia collaborated to deliver a symposium on capacity building at the 11^th EDCTP Forum. Entitled “A paradigm shift towards local and gender-balanced leadership, promoting equitable partnerships and next-generation African leaders, PAMAfrica and SINDOFO case studies”, the symposium aimed to address the issues surrounding the development of research capacity in sub-Saharan countries.

Dr. Eusebio Macete, General Director of Empresa Farmácias de Moçambique, SA and Coordinator of the Manhiça Health Research Centre, and Dr. Rella Zoleko Manego, Research Physician at CERMEL, Gabon and Principal Investigator for clinical trials in PAMAfrica and WANECAM2, co-chaired the symposium and guided the discussions.

Prof. Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma, Head of Clinical Operations at CERMEL and Group Leader at the Bernard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) in Hamburg, Germany, opened the floor, using the PAMAfrica and SINDOFO consortia as example for innovative clinical trial delivery to discuss what it takes to enhance equitable and sustainable research in Africa.

Prof. Charles Mgone, former Executive Director of EDCTP and Vice Chancellor of the Hubert Kariuki Memorial University in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, discussed in a pre-recorded keynote adress the evolution of the North-South collaboration and shared his vision for the future of research in Africa.

Drs. Deary Glory Okwu and Jessica Dalsuco, both PhD students and leaders of SINDOFO clinical trials at CERMEL Gabon and CISM-FM Mozambique respectively, shared their experiences of career progression as women in clinical research and talked about challenges and opportunities with a gender perspective.

Enjoy every minute of the symposium below.