Alex Kandie, Author at The Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative

The 2026 Ebola Outbreak: Why African Scientific Leadership and Collaboration Matter

Posted on June 15, 2026June 15, 2026 by Alex Kandie

The 2026 Ebola outbreak originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) represents a significant regional and global public health concern and highlights the critical role of surveillance, preparedness, scientific leadership, and regional collaboration in responding to epidemic threats.

SITUATIONAL OVERVIEW

In May 2026, health authorities in the DRC confirmed an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus in Ituri Province in the country’s northeast. Cases have since expanded to North and South Kivu provinces, and have also been reported in neighbouring Uganda, prompting heightened regional surveillance and preparedness efforts.

The World Health Organization (WHO) subsequently declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), citing a growing number of reported infections in affected areas, the potential for cross-border spread, and the complex humanitarian and security conditions affecting response efforts in eastern DRC. The declaration is intended to strengthen international coordination and support for outbreak control measures.

As of 11 June 2026, 695 confirmed cases and 138 confirmed deaths had been officially reported in the DRC and Uganda. Health authorities are also investigating additional suspected cases as part of routine outbreak surveillance and case finding. While the outbreak is unfolding in a context marked by population displacement, insecurity, misinformation, and limited humanitarian access in some affected areas, national authorities, researchers, and regional partners continue to deploy surveillance, diagnostic, and response measures to detect cases, interrupt transmission, and guide public health action.

The Bundibugyo strain presents particular challenges because no approved vaccines or specific treatments currently exist for this strain of Ebola virus. The outbreak therefore underscores the urgent need to strengthen Africa’s preparedness and response systems, accelerate research and development efforts, and expand equitable access to diagnostics, therapeutics, and outbreak response infrastructure.

At the same time, the response is also demonstrating Africa’s growing scientific leadership and the strengthening of African research ecosystems, public health institutions, and collaborative preparedness networks.

This is why the Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative exists. It aims to strengthen African-led research and institutions to enable them to conduct world-class, innovative research, and translate findings into impactful, locally relevant solutions that contribute to shaping and strengthening pandemic response and resilience and, ultimately, benefiting the continent’s health ecosystem for future generations.

The Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative stands in solidarity with affected communities and expresses its sincere appreciation to frontline healthcare workers, researchers, surveillance officers, laboratory teams, community health workers, and local leaders working tirelessly to contain the outbreak and protect lives. It is also committed to working with relevant health authorities and partners to effectively respond to this current outbreak.

THE COLLABORATIVE RESPONSE

Across the Collaborative’s Epidemic and Pandemic Science Innovation and Leadership Networks (EPSILONs), researchers and partners are actively supporting outbreak response and mitigation efforts spanning therapeutics, diagnostics, disease surveillance, clinical research, modelling, behavioural science, and community engagement.

In the DRC, researchers from our ACCEPT-Africa consortium are on the frontlines leading efforts with relevant health authorities and teams to identify cases, contain the spread of the virus, and find preventive and curative solutions to the outbreak. Specifically, we applaud the work led by Prof Placide Mbala and other colleagues at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa – DRC, who played a leading role in identifying the Bundibugyo strain. Now that the specific pathogen is identified, they continue to support diagnostics expansion, setting up clinical trials for available candidate treatment, and studying the genetic makeup of the circulating strain of Ebola.

In Uganda, researchers from the ACCEPT-Africa and PREPARE consortia are supporting the national Scientific Advisory Group and helping strengthen regulatory readiness and emergency-use treatment protocols. Some priority drugs have been identified, and these are being fast-tracked for approval. Additionally, the team is drafting training materials for healthcare workers administering experimental treatments. Once approved, the bulk of the work will be around tracking patient outcomes. In addition, researchers at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) are working with the Ministry of Health to strengthen near-point-of-care diagnostic systems using innovative Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP)-based technologies to improve rapid detection capacity. LAMP is a rapid, highly sensitive molecular diagnostic technique that is portable and cost-effective used to detect specific DNA or RNA sequences in clinics or remote field work settings.

Despite these noble efforts, teams from both countries continue to face major challenges. These include shortages of rapid diagnostic tests, laboratory consumables, infection prevention supplies, and decentralized testing systems, alongside urgent needs for stronger disease modelling, community engagement interventions, clinical trial infrastructure, and biobanking systems to support both immediate response efforts and long-term preparedness.

With a combined ecosystem comprising of more than 40 lead researchers, the Collaborative network has consulted with the EPSILON PI’s in both countries and have proposed a range of coordinated scientific and operational interventions to support the Ebola outbreak response across affected countries. These include support for epidemiological and economic modelling through the CLEAR-Africa consortium to help optimise resource allocation and response planning in the DRC and Uganda, alongside adaptation of community education and prevention materials developed by the University of Ibadan to support locally relevant public health communication. The PREPARE consortium is also contributing diagnostic innovation through development and validation of surveillance and diagnostic platforms for zoonotic and epidemic-prone diseases, while the SPIL-OVA consortium is exploring the use of archived outbreak samples to support rapid diagnostic development and monoclonal antibody research targeting the Bundibugyo strain. Together, these efforts reflect the Collaborative’s interdisciplinary approach to strengthening diagnostics, surveillance, modelling, community engagement, and long-term epidemic preparedness across Africa.

Meanwhile, additional preparedness efforts are ongoing across our partner institutions in Liberia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Kenya, and other countries through surveillance strengthening, laboratory readiness, traveller screening systems, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), and cross-border preparedness activities.

URGENT PRIORITIES FOR RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS

The Collaborative has set aside some financial support, outside of the primary grants awarded to the research consortia, towards rapid response and preparedness efforts. The allocation of these resources will target four priority areas identified through consideration of the current outbreak dynamics, partner consultations, broader Ebola response experience, and lessons from previous epidemics.

1. Addressing diagnostic and laboratory gaps

Rapid diagnosis remains essential to early intervention, interrupting transmission chains and strengthening outbreak containment. However, both the DRC and Uganda continue to face shortages of rapid diagnostic tests, laboratory consumables, infection prevention supplies, and decentralized testing systems. There is a need to expand diagnostics to the affected communities using near-point-of-care diagnostic solutions that are sensitive to the Bundibugyo strain, to enable early medical care for cases and contact tracing. Additionally, despite the lack of reported cases in at-risk neighbouring countries, the deployment of diagnostic equipment across the region will enable the active tracking of suspected cases, leading to the containment of the virus.

2. Strengthening disease modelling and epidemic intelligence

Real-time modelling, analytics, and epidemic intelligence remain critical for guiding outbreak response operations, forecasting transmission dynamics, optimising resource allocation, and informing public health decision-making.

Collaborative partners have identified an urgent need to strengthen disease modelling and epidemic intelligence systems to support more effective outbreak response and preparedness efforts. Priority areas include enhanced epidemiological and economic modelling, integrated outbreak analytics, real-time data sharing, cross-border surveillance coordination, and decision-support tools to help Ministries of Health and response agencies make faster, evidence-based decisions during the outbreak.

3. Expanding One Health surveillance and animal sampling

The recurrence of Ebola outbreaks in similar geographic regions has reinforced the importance of strengthening One Health approaches that integrate human, animal, and environmental health systems. Researchers in the DRC have highlighted the urgent need to expand animal sampling and zoonotic surveillance, investigate potential spillover events, strengthen genomic sequencing and ecological monitoring systems, and improve understanding of environmental drivers of transmission, recognizing that stronger One Health surveillance will be essential not only for controlling the current outbreak, but also for preventing and anticipating future epidemic threats emerging at the human-animal-environment interface.

BUILDING AFRICA’S FUTURE PANDEMIC RESILIENCE

The current Ebola outbreak is a reminder that preparedness cannot begin when outbreaks start. Sustainable epidemic resilience requires long-term investment in African scientific leadership, research institutions, public health systems, skilled workforces, trusted community engagement systems, and regional collaboration.

Through its network of EPSILONs, the Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative is supporting interdisciplinary research, workforce development, diagnostics innovation, therapeutics research, modelling systems, behavioural science, and One Health preparedness approaches across the continent.

Importantly, Africa’s future preparedness will depend not only on infrastructure and technology, but also on people. Developing and retaining the next generation of African scientists, clinicians, laboratory experts, epidemiologists, public health leaders, and data scientists will be critical to ensuring long-term resilience.

Disease outbreaks do not respect borders – and preparedness cannot stop at them. Sustained investment in African-led science and collaborative preparedness systems is therefore essential for the continent’s future and the global health security.

Preparedness is built between outbreaks – not during them.

CALL FOR PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT

We are ready to work together with governments, funders, research institutions, development partners, industry, and regional organizations to support:

Equitable access to diagnostics, treatments, and outbreak countermeasures
African-led research and preparedness systems
Disease surveillance, modelling, and laboratory strengthening
One Health and zoonotic surveillance systems
Long-term workforce development and scientific leadership

The current outbreak is not only a response challenge. It is an opportunity to strengthen the systems, partnerships, and scientific ecosystems needed to protect Africa, and the world, from future epidemic and pandemic threats.

For enquiries regarding partnership opportunities, or more information on our work relating to the current Ebola outbreak, please email: [email protected]

Building together, moving forward

Posted on March 28, 2026June 22, 2026 by Alex Kandie

In the first week of March 2026, program management representatives from the three Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative partners – the Science for Africa Foundation, the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford, and the Mastercard Foundation – convened in Nairobi for a strategic alignment workshop.

Over the past two years, the Collaborative has made significant progress toward its vision of strengthening Africa’s pandemic preparedness capacity. Seven EPSILON research consortia are now active across the continent, bringing together over 30 African universities and research institutions to advance novel research in pandemic and epidemic preparedness. As our partnership has grown and evolved, we came together to reflect on what is working, sharpen how we collaborate, and build a stronger foundation for the next phase of delivery. To this end, the Mastercard Foundation engaged CoCreative – an organisation experienced in supporting large-scale multi-partner collaboratives – to help design and facilitate this process.

It was a fun-filled week of deep collaboration, shared vision and renewed energy around one of the most important missions on the continent – strengthening Africa’s pandemic resilience and building an African-led science and innovation ecosystem. When you are co-creating a continent-wide research ecosystem across diverse countries, cultures and contexts, moments of intentional alignment are essential.

Together, we reflected on the significant progress we have made. At the heart of this work is the emerging generation of African scientists, innovators and health leaders who will shape the continent’s scientific future. Our role is to create the conditions for them to thrive, lead and deliver solutions – multiplying opportunities across biotechnology, epidemiology, data science and beyond.

Weeks like this remind us why co-creation and collaboration matter. We are building something important together, and this week strengthened the foundation that will carry us forward. We leave with sharper clarity on how to work together, and deeper commitment to the scientists and institutions whose work will define Africa’s pandemic preparedness for generations to come.

I turn numbers into decisions that shape lives

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Alex Kandie

For many people, mathematics is associated with abstract concepts and rigid certainty. But for Professor Sheetal Silal, equations are tools for connecting data with decisions that affect people’s lives. Her journey to becoming a global leader in disease modelling was not linear, but shaped by important career decisions. From choosing not to pursue a corporate actuarial career to leading the World Health Organization Immunization and Vaccines Related Implementation Research Advisory Committee (IVIR-AC), Prof Sheetal has consistently chosen work that connects science with public purpose.

The importance of her work became particularly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic. While governments were trying to understand how the virus might spread, Prof Sheetal and her team worked for more than two years, often long hours, to provide the South African government with mathematical models that could support policy decisions during the crisis.

“I view my science almost as a vocation, as something beyond just the number—something that has greater purpose and gives my life meaning.”

Prof Sheetal Silal is a disease modeller, a Professor in the Department of Statistical Sciences at the University of Cape Town, and the Director of the Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa — MASHA. She is also the chair of a WHO advisory committee, a principal investigator on multiple international research consortia, supervisor to 26 postgraduate students, and a professional dancer and sitar player. Her life seems less like a series of data points and more like a masterclass in tenacity.

She will tell you mathematics is a hobby. She will also tell you it saved her.

“I knew I would be very unhappy in a corporate job. I was brave enough to take matters into my own hands.”

A QUIET ACT OF DEFIANCE

Prof Sheetal grew up on the east coast of South Africa, in a farm town called Verulam, five generations after her ancestors arrived as Indian indentured labourers who were brought to work on sugarcane farms during the colonial period. She grew up during apartheid. In that context, her parents hoped she would pursue a stable career.

“Growing up during apartheid, your parents wanted you to take a safe career, one that would be guaranteed to provide you with a stable financial lifestyle. Actuarial science seemed like the obvious place to go.”

She did the degree. She was good at it. She was also bored.

“As much as it was mathematical in nature, it seemed a little pointless to me. Working in corporate, being in that sort of rigmarole. It was just a vicious cycle.”

What happened next was not dramatic in the way that pivotal moments usually are in the retelling. It was quiet, deliberate, and entirely hers.

“I didn’t tell my parents I had applied for a master’s degree. I didn’t even tell them I had a job interview. I applied for funding from the South African government, and only when I got the scholarship did I tell them: ‘Hey Mom and Dad, guess what? I’m doing my master’s.’”

They were not happy at first. She was the first person in her entire extended family to pursue a master’s degree. She remains the only one with a PhD.

“I don’t blame my parents for being nervous. It just sounded like I was being a student for longer to them, because they didn’t know any better. Now, of course, they have no regrets.”

THE MOMENT MATHEMATICS BECAME A TOOL FOR GOOD

In her master’s programme, Sheetal encountered a field called operations research — and it changed everything.

“It was the first time I learned how mathematics could be used to solve real problems: modelling diseases, optimising systems, supporting decision-making. Suddenly I could see that mathematics could be used to make the world a better place.”

The example that made this clear was a malaria model designed to help inform decisions about changing a drug where resistance had emerged.

“That was marvellous. I’m not a doctor. I’m a mathematician. But what I can do on a computer can help government make better decisions. That’s when I knew.”

“Every project we do is for a different government, for a different population, solving a different crisis.”

TWENTY HOURS A DAY, FOR TWO YEARS

The clearest test of what that purpose meant came during the COVID-19 pandemic. MASHA was developing models for the South African government. The world was in a panic. Decisions needed to be made quickly.

“We were working almost 20 hours a day for a period of over two years without weekends — just working and working relentlessly because our work had meaning. It was supporting a nation. It was helping to make better decisions.”

What made MASHA’s contribution distinctive was not just speed, but scope. While many models were predicting case numbers and hospital admissions, nobody was adequately accounting for what lockdowns cost the people who could not afford them.

“In many African settings, people cannot work from home. If you are a construction worker or a seasonal farm worker, there is no working from home. During lockdowns, many large portions of our communities were without wages. And this had a big impact on unemployment and on the economy.”

The CLEAR-Africa Consortium, which Prof Sheetal leads as Principal Investigator, is building the next generation of models that integrate both epidemiological impact and macroeconomic consequences so that future governments are not forced to choose between health and livelihoods without understanding the true weight of that choice.

Prof Silal poses for a photo with her CLEAR Africa consortium during the Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative Inception Meeting

PAYING IT FORWARD

In September 2024, Prof Sheetal’s team submitted a model for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis booster doses to the WHO’s IVIR-AC committee. It was the first submission from a Low- and Middle-Income Country (LMIC) institution in the committee’s five-year history.

“In the five years of my being on the committee, it was the first time I recall a submission from an LMIC. To me, that’s a pivotal moment. It signals a shift: that LMIC modelling groups are growing, and that our work can be of global relevance, developed exclusively on the African continent.”

Her reason for seeking out these leadership positions is deliberate and relational. As a junior modeller, she watched her own supervisor, Prof Lisa White, fight for funding, for Global South voices, for space at the table.

“She was carving a smoother road for me. Now it is my responsibility to pay that forward — to remove the unnecessary obstacles so that my students don’t have to fight the same battles. And when they get into this space, they will learn from my example and do the same for the generations that come.”

Under her supervision alone, she currently has 11 PhD and 15 master’s students. On the day of this interview, she was also preparing a candidate for a PhD interview the following morning, after hosting them as an intern following their master’s.

ON BEING A WOMAN IN THE ROOM

“For me personally, I have not experienced what I believe might be discrimination due to gender. A lot of that has to do with confidence, with fighting for my place. But that also means you enter a system and find your place on that system’s terms. That doesn’t necessarily mean the system was right to begin with.”

What she observes in others is different.

“I’ve seen brilliant women not being acknowledged and denied space. But the responsibility should not be placed entirely on these women to fight back. Systems should be designed so that anyone can access the space based on their scientific qualifications.”

She draws a sharp distinction between equality and equity — one she returns to often.

“Equity is the important term. There are wrongs that need to be righted. It is about achieving equity, maintaining the balance between those who have been historically disadvantaged and those who have not.”

Prof Sheetal speaks during the Hot Panel session at the 8th Heidelberg Laureate Forum on the topic “Mathematics of Disease: The Science of Epidemic Modelling”

ON TENACITY

For young women entering science, she offers not a checklist but a framework.

“Have a purpose. Understand why you want to be in this field. Purpose and perseverance are the characteristics that will see you through.”

But above all else, she emphasizes one quality.

“Tenacity. Being able to fight for what you want. Look for solutions. Don’t be afraid to ask. Don’t be afraid to learn. Be humble, because we are always learning. And that’s how we become better.”

“As a mathematician alone, I will not know everything I need to know. Being able to work well with others, and respect what others know, is equally important to growing in your own field.”

THE FULL PICTURE

When asked how she manages the demands of students, research leadership and international travel, Prof Sheetal answers simply.

“It’s about making space. Every portion of your life gets that space. I use time efficiently. And when I close my laptop, that’s it — it’s done. When I’m concentrating on relaxing, I’m just relaxing. When I’m at work, I’m at work.”

She bakes for her staff. She dances professionally. She plays the sitar. She will tell you these things are not in tension with the 20-hour COVID days or the WHO committee chairing. She will tell you it all comes together.

Her one wish for women in science on the continent, which also falls during International Women’s Month is clear.

“My wish is that we create a decision-making system where women, men, and all minority groups have a voice throughout the entire process — not just in making decisions, but in implementation. Not just in creating advice, but also as receivers of health. It’s a systemic approach.”

Women have an important role in delivering healthcare, shaping policy decisions and contributing scientific expertise.

Call for Applications – iPEP 2.0 Individual Policy Exchange Programme (July 2026 – July 2027 Cohort)

Posted on February 16, 2026April 13, 2026 by Alex Kandie

Background

The Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative seeks to nurture and equip the emerging generation of young African scientists and researchers to address current and future health challenges, contribute to strengthening the continent’s health ecosystem and pandemic preparedness and response capabilities, and to create pathways to dignified and fulfilling careers in pandemic sciences. A thriving research ecosystem in Africa will be essential for achieving this goal and retaining a critical mass of high-calibre young scientists across the continent, ensuring knowledge continuity between generations of researchers.

The Individual Policy Exchange Programme (iPEP) fellowship is an initiative of the Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative that seeks to enhance the adoption of evidence from science into policy by promoting cross-working of young researchers and policymakers from institutions across Africa that are engaged in the complete range of epidemic and pandemic-related research.

Through iPEP, we aim to:

Advance and nurture professional relationships between pandemic researchers and policymakers in Africa, with a particular emphasis upon the emerging generation of African science leaders
Build cross-sectoral collaborations and synergies for translating pandemic research into policy in Africa
Catalyse the exchange of people and ideas to strengthen African regional institutions involved with pandemic prevention, preparedness and response

Following the success of the first cohort of iPEP fellows in 2024-2025, we are opening this call to give opportunities to more early- or mid-career researchers to benefit from this fellowship.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must:

Be citizens of African countries
Complete their applications in English
Be students or researchers affiliated with EPSILONs based in Africa
Be early- or mid-career researchers, defined as master’s, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers (or their equivalents)
Be engaged in pandemic sciences research
The submitted concept notes must align with the predefined policy topics outlined in the application guidelines (link)
Submit a complete, signed and stamped letter of support from your respective EPSILON PI or co-PI. The letter should confirm institutional support and the applicant’s availability to participate in all iPEP fellowship activities

Application Process

All applications to this call should be done through Science for Africa Foundation’s grants management system. Applicants submitting the application MUST fully meet the eligibility criteria.

All applications must be submitted through the SFA Foundation’s Agaseke online system. Click here to access the online application portal.
Applicants must ensure they validate and submit their applications.
The grants management system automatically sends you an email notification once you have submitted your application.
Applications submitted through email or via any other means shall be deemed ineligible.
Applications must be submitted in English.
The form includes a standard template for the relevant applicant’s qualifications and experience.
Applicants must upload letters of support signed and stamped by the consortium’s lead or research leads.

Policy Topics – Prioritisation and Eligibility

All current host institutions have been pre-engaged to identify and prioritise pandemic policy–related topics for this fellowship. Click this link to access the list of predefined policy topics and the corresponding expected policy outputs.

As part of your application:

Rank the topics from the most preferred to the least preferred topic
Develop a short concept note (not exceeding 350 words) on their most preferred topic.

Award Period

June 2026 – June 2027

Award Process and Timelines

Call for applications opens: 16 February 2026 (1700hrs EAT)
Webinar for prospective applicants (English): 26 February 2026 (1500hrs EAT)
Webinar for prospective applicants: (French Speaking) 10 March 2026 (1500hrs EAT)
Webinar for prospective applicants: 12 March 2026 (1500hrs EAT)
Deadline for applications (extended): 24 April 2026 (1700hrs EAT)
Administrative review concludes: 29 May 2026
Final selection: 11 June 2026
Award Communication to final selected fellows: 16 June 2026
Award start date: 09 July 2026
Onboarding engagement: 23 July 2026
Commencement of iPEP 2.0 activities: July 2026 – July 2027

iPEP webinar for prospective applicants

The Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) will host a Q&A webinar for the iPEP call for applications on 26 February 2026 at 1500 hrs EAT, 10 March 2026 at 1500 hrs EAT, and 12 March 2026 at 1500 hrs EAT.

Prospective applicants are invited to register for the webinar using the following links:

26 February 2026 – 1500hrs EAT [English] (Register here)
10 March 2026 – 1500hrs EAT [French] (Register here)
12 March 2026 – 1500hrs EAT [English] (Register here)

Kindly register based on your preferred language and time.

Below is a link to a recording from the first webinar:

Applications review process

Eligibility checks (Triage)

Applications will be assessed for eligibility by a pre-assessment and shortlisting team from SFA Foundation.

Triage review criteria

Application must cover a concept note of the most preferred policy topic
Application must be completed in English
Applicant must be clearly associated with EPSILONs and early career researchers (Masters, PhD, Post-Doctoral fellow)
Submit a complete letter of support from their institution, signed and stamped by their respective EPSILON’s PI or co-PI. The letter should confirm institutional support and the applicant’s availability to participate in all iPEP fellowship activities.

Technical review criteria

Each application that goes through the triage phase successfully will be reviewed for technical merit scored by two independent reviewers.

The assessment criteria will be based on:

Merit of the applicant
Quality of Proposed Policy Concept
Capacity Building Potential
Equity and Representation Factors
Ethical and Risk Considerations

Applicant matching to host institutions

A selection committee comprised of members from the host institution will determine the final list of fellows and their respective host institution placements. The matching process will be guided by both merit and diversity principles to ensure a balanced and inclusive cohort.

Key factors to be considered include:

Geographical representation
Gender balance
Fellowship level (early- or mid-career)
Alignment of topic areas

Final awards

In this phase, up to eight (8) awards will be made.

Selected applicants will undergo a KYC check using the Dow Jones before receiving their award letters.

There will be a two-week residential exchange between the host institution and the researcher’s institution. An iPEP research fellow will visit their designated policy host institution, and in return, an iPEP fellow from the policy host institution will visit the researcher’s institution. After this exchange, iPEP fellows will continue collaborating virtually for one year.

The SFA Foundation will cover the expenses related to travel and accommodation as defined below:

Travel Costs: Round-trip economy class airfare to and from your destination and return airport transfer in the country of visit.
Visa and Related Costs: Reimbursement for visa application fees and other associated travel documentation costs
Accommodation: Bed and breakfast accommodation for the duration of your two-week stay
Stipend: A non-accountable stipend of $1,050 to cover incidental expenses, including meals, local transportation, and other personal costs during your stay.

Communication

All queries or comments about this call should be addressed to: [email protected]

Please note that due to our working hours, we will be responding to enquiries from Monday – Friday 0800 hrs – 1700 hrs EAT until the call ends.

Download the full request for proposal via the links below:

Click here to apply

I Am a Scientist First, Then a Female Scientist

Posted on February 11, 2026 by Alex Kandie

“I was just curious to see what happens in the human body.”

That simple, relentless curiosity set Dr Christine Sekaggya-Wiltshire on a remarkable journey – from a holiday conversation with her uncle to medical school, from internal medicine to a PhD, and from patient care to leading a multi-country scientific research consortium.

Along the way, she confronted doubt, stereotypes, and quiet expectations. Yet she never wavered in her belief that competence should speak louder than gender.

This is her story.

Q: Who is Dr. Christine Sekaggya?
I am a clinician and a scientist – a research scientist, currently working at Uganda’s National Referral Hospital as a physician in haematology. I am also a research scientist at the Makerere University’s Infectious Diseases Institute.

My research has largely focused on HIV and tuberculosis, and I have conducted clinical trials on related drugs. I am deeply excited by academia, but I also love treating patients.

I am married and have six children. When I am not at work, I am with my children, and spending time with them brings me great joy. I also love movies, traveling and visiting new places.

Q: How did your journey into science begin?
At first, I wanted to be like my mother. She was a businesswoman and a lawyer. But when I realised, I would have to study history to pursue law, I thought, maybe not. I liked stories, but I didn’t enjoy being told to memorise and retell them in exams.

I had an uncle living in Nairobi who was both a doctor and a scientist. When I was about 15, I spent my school holiday with him, and he noticed that I was doing well in sciences.

That holiday changed everything. I returned from Kenya saying, “I’m going to do medicine.”

I don’t even remember exactly what he told me. I just knew I had decided to pursue science. Partly, I was avoiding arts subjects. But I was also genuinely curious. I used to tell my mother, “I just want to see what happens in the human body.”

Q: What shaped your journey through medical school and beyond?
Medical school was hard. I failed one of my first tests and quickly realized that what they teach you in class is only a tiny fraction of what you need. You must read the entire textbook.

At first, I wanted to be a surgeon. I liked the feeling of fixing things. But the late nights made me realize it was not compatible with the family life I wanted. Therefore, I chose internal medicine.

During my master’s degree, I used to say I would never do a PhD. But in my third year, I felt a strong urge to pursue one. On the day of my master’s defence, someone told me, “Christine, just get a PhD. No one is going to care what it is in. Just get one.”

At the same time, my department needed haematology specialists. So, I took on that role while starting my PhD in TB drug pharmacokinetics and later training in haematology.

Q: How did you balance science and motherhood?

It is hectic.

One of my professors once told me, “You have to learn to juggle your glass balls.” Children, home, books, patient care, research – they all felt like glass balls.

I received a lot of support from my husband and my mother. I remember expressing breast milk in the postgraduate room between lectures. Everyone could hear the machine. I would drop my baby at my uncle’s house, go to work, return at lunchtime, and then go back again in the evening.

That family support allowed me to thrive.

When there were doubts about my ability to complete my PhD because I had young children, it made me more resilient. Knowing that people were questioning me pushed me to prove that I could do it.

Q: What barriers still exist for women in science?
Sometimes, we do not have a strong go-getter mentality, or we express it more subtly. We hesitate to market ourselves. We downplay our achievements. We do not negotiate salaries as well as men.

We often see many women in middle management and very few at the top. Institutions may have policies that treat everyone equally, but mindsets still matter.

Someone may assume that a man can travel 18 days a month without interruption, while a woman may need to return home. Those assumptions influence decisions.

Q: Are there subtle expectations placed on women in professional spaces?
If there is an event at your organisation, when it comes to organizing food or registration, it is almost always the women. How many times do people ask men to stand up and check if everyone has eaten? Usually, they ask a woman.

The stereotype of what a woman does at home follows her into the workplace.

We do not have to be the ones to serve and handle the “soft” tasks at work. We should be able to make difficult decisions and contribute to strategy just like men.

When we are sitting around a boardroom table, people should see me as a scientist first, and then as a female scientist. Gender can come later. See me first as a scientist.

Q: Why does women’s leadership in science matter?
If we do not break these barriers now, our children will face the same ones.

Women bring a unique perspective to leadership and decision-making. We often look beyond stereotypes and see the human side. Not necessarily in a motherly way, but in a holistic way.

The organisation and awareness we develop at home can translate into the workplace. Equity and gender balance is important in all sectors.

I have been a doctor for 20 years. Currently, I am leading a consortium supported by the Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative as the Principal Investigator, and I also serve as Assistant Clinical Head in the Department of Internal Medicine at Makerere University. My work involves collaboration across countries, capacity building, teaching and mentoring.

Dr Christine Sekaggya-Wiltshire leads the ACCEPT-Africa consortium under the Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative

Q: What promise should society make to girls who dream of being scientists?
Make room for women – and consider everything they come with.

We want to be seen as scientists first. But in the background, there is more that we carry, and that should be acknowledged.

We need to speak up about our abilities. We need to negotiate better terms and conditions. We should not have to choose between career and family.

Why should we choose?

We can have both.

Story by: Alex Kandie and Emmanuel Kimaru

MEAL leads convene to strengthen alignment across the Collaborative

Posted on November 28, 2025December 10, 2025 by Alex Kandie

24-27 November 2025 | Lagos, Nigeria

The Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative exists to strengthen Africa’s capacity for pandemic preparedness through evidence-driven decision-making, strong institutions, and learning systems that respond to context. This was a central message highlighted over four days of a workshop that recently took place in Lagos, Nigeria.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) leads from all seven EPSILON consortia met in Lagos for a four-day onboarding workshop aimed at strengthening alignment, sharpening shared understanding, and establishing a unified approach to monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning across the Collaborative.

Co-hosted by SHARPER and SPIL-OVA consortia based at the University of Ibadan and Redeemer’s University respectively, the workshop brought together programme managers, workstream leads, and partners from Mastercard Foundation, SFA Foundation, the Pandemic Sciences Institute and a representative from the Africa Oxford Initiative.

The importance of MEAL to the Collaborative

The University of Ibadan’s College of Medicine Provost, Professor Temidayo O. Ogundiran officially welcomed participants to Lagos and delivered the keynote address at the workshop. In his speech, he highlighted the significance of the MEAL function to the success of the Collaborative’s work.

“I am informed that this onboarding workshop has been carefully put together to strengthen all seven EPSILONs and to equip you with the necessary tools and frameworks to track progress, document results, and define learning, plus engage other stakeholders meaningfully. A robust MEAL system is needed to ensure that interventions are timely, decisions are evidenced correctly, progress is measured, and our impact is sustained – it should be rooted in transparency, excellence and shared commitment to deliver on the goals of the Collaborative”, Prof. Ogundiran remarked.

Carol Nuga, Director of Impact at the Mastercard Foundation, highlighted the evolution of the Foundation’s work – from individual scholarships to institutional strengthening, workforce development, and network-building to increase social capital to achieve our shared goals. She emphasised that MEAL is central to realising impact, influencing ecosystems, and ensuring young people benefit from dignified and fulfilling career pathways.

Prof. T.O. Ogundiran (University of Ibadan), Dr Chinedu Ugwu (Redeemer's University) and Carol Nuga (Mastercard Foundation) delivering their addresses during the workshop's opening ceremony. — *Prof. T.O. Ogundiran (University of Ibadan), Dr Chinedu Ugwu (Redeemer’s University) and Carol Nuga (Mastercard Foundation) delivering their addresses during the workshop’s opening ceremony.*

Building shared understanding and operationalisation of the MEAL Function

Over the four-day workshop, participants explored the structure of the Collaborative, the role of MEAL as a cross-cutting function, and the distinction between programme-level implementation by the EPSILONs and the overarching strategy led through wrap-around activities. Sessions reflecting on the Collaborative’s Theory of Change prompted deep discussion on accountability, influence, contextual differences and how MEAL can capture progress in real time.

The workshop also surfaced operational realities – from language diversity and bureaucratic constraints to the need for clear data responsibilities and integrated reporting systems. Demonstrations of the Collaborative’s MEAL tool helped teams understand how indicators, dashboards and learning inputs will be managed across institutions.

A panel on research-to-policy influence underscored the importance of trust, evidence synthesis, and science communication – key capabilities the Collaborative aims to strengthen across EPSILON teams. Additional sessions focused on impact storytelling, responsible communication, and the role of MEAL in shaping narratives of change.

Days three and four focused on translating principles into practice. Teams reviewed indicators at EPSILON and Collaborative levels, explored data flow and responsibilities, and discussed the MEAL tool that will support real-time reporting and learning.

By the final day, participants revisited the Collaborative’s Theory of Change with new clarity, refining their contributions and areas of influence. The workshop closed with a shared commitment to co-creation, continuous learning, and to building MEAL systems that reflect African contexts and strengthen pandemic readiness.

“This meeting has been engaging and packed with a lot of information. But most importantly, it has been useful in clarifying a lot of things, especially at the beginning of our work in the consortia, before activities kick-off and we need to change tack mid-way. I am grateful for this opportunity and go away with a better understanding of what lies ahead of us,” said Purity Wambui, a MEAL lead from the CLEAR-Africa consortium.

(Left) Montage Diallo responds to a question during the research-to-policy panel session. (Right) Wandaogo Haiga and Charles Guissou presenting the MOSEPIC's Theory of Change — *(Left) Montage Diallo responds to a question during the research-to-policy panel session. (Right) Wandaogo Haiga and Charles Guissou presenting the MOSEPIC’s Theory of Change*

Looking Ahead

Across four days, one message rang consistently: this Collaborative is an opportunity to build something transformative – not only for institutions, but for African health systems, scientific ecosystems, and future generations of researchers and policymakers.

The MEAL onboarding workshop did more than align frameworks. It built trust. It clarified roles. It surfaced the complexity and promise of working across contexts, disciplines and expectations. And it reminded participants that the strength of the Collaborative lies in the people driving it.

“Having missed the inception meeting in Nairobi, I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this workshop. Before this, I was very confused about the whole Collaborative and how it works. I also had a limited scope to the objectives and goals of the programme. But now, I have a big picture view of what we are trying to do, and how everything fits in together,” said Dr Chinedu Ugwu, a co-lead from the SPIL-OVA consortium.

Together, the Collaborative is laying the groundwork for rigorous science, stronger systems, and evidence that genuinely shapes Africa’s readiness for future epidemics and pandemics.

Participants from the MEAL onboarding workshop pose for a group photo with the Provost (College of Medicine, University of Ibadan) Prof T.O. Ogundiran and Carol Nuga, the Director of Impact, Mastercard Foundation

Informing an equitable pandemic response with social science evidence – strategies and recommendations for researchers, policy actors and funders

Posted on November 20, 2025February 13, 2026 by Alex Kandie

Africa’s pandemic response efforts will remain incomplete without fully integrating social science into policy and planning. This was the central message from a recent webinar co-hosted by the Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative and the Kenya National Public Health Institute.

Titled Integrating Social Science Evidence for Pandemics Policy Making, the webinar delved into continent-wide experiences of dealing with pandemics to understand how social science contributes to pandemic preparedness and response in practice.

Two social scientists, Teklu Cherkose (Armauer Hansen Research Institute) and Professor Kellen Kiambati (Karatina University), presented an arguement from their research and practise on why this shift is overdue – and how it can be achieved.

Mr Cherkose focused on COVID-19 response in Kenya and Ethiopia, highlighting the social sciences evidence behind specific policy interventions – including rapid household surveys that revealed income and food insecurity. Supported by theoretical framing, he outlined the relevance of social science evidence to pandemic policy: from understanding public behaviour and building trust to addressing inequalities worsened by pandemics and improving feedback loops.

Mr Cherkose also identified existing gaps in the use of social sciences evidence, including the deployment of “ad hoc” and reactive measures. His recommendations to policy actors, researchers and funding partners also included advocacy for the institutionalisation of social science capacity.

“National emergency management institutions should establish permanent, interdisciplinary units that brings social, behavioural and biomedical expertise together, not just during a crisis, but as critical parts of health systems planning. These units will ensure that social science and epidemiological evidence is combined in managing outbreaks from the start,” said Mr Cherkose.

Professor Kiambati reinforced these messages by drawing on practical experiences from her research working with communities. Like Mr Cherkose, she, too, highlighted institutionalisation as a strategy. Consolidating the use of trusted local structures for communications and engagement activities, she argued, will result in increased institutional capacity for social science evidence sharing and uptake.

While sharing strategies to address ‘murky’ policy making processes, Professor Kiambati emphasised the central role of co-creation between researchers and policy makers. She also positioned knowledge valorisation as a policy objective, creating practical value for the entire society.

The principles of co-creation, capacity strengthening and knowledge continuity highlighted by Mr Cherkose and Professor Kiambati reflect principles that underpin the Collaborative’s model. The Collaborative is designed to connect institutions, strengthen scientific ecosystems and ensure evidence flows seamlessly across borders and disciplines. This is how Africa builds long-term resilience.

The open invitation and attendance from institutions across Africa aligned with the Collaborative’s vision of promoting partnerships and collaborative exchanges across the continent. During and after the event, the speakers received multiple requests to connect and move conversations forward, demonstrating the potential of their work in contributing to a more robust research ecosystem across the continent.

Their shared recommendation, embedding social science expertise in health systems before crises hit, underscored a growing recognition across the continent that pandemic preparedness must be as much about people as pathogens.

Watch the full webinar recording on YouTube via the link below:

About our Speakers

Teklu Cherkose is a social science researcher and PhD fellow at the Armauer Hansen Research Institute in Ethiopia under DELTAS Africa II ALC consortium. His work investigates how health interventions can be effectively integrated into communities. Using a mixed methods approach, he examines the interplay of actors, interventions, and context by integrating patient, community, and stakeholder perspectives, ultimately aiming to shape effective and sustainable health policies. Mr Cherkose is also a grantee of the Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative’s Individual Policy Exchange Program (iPEP).

Professor Kellen Kiambati is a social scientist from Kenya, specialising in pandemic response and community engagement. Her work turns research findings into practical action. Prof Kellen is an Associate Professor at Karatina University and an SFA Foundation grantee under the Possible Africa initiative.

MosEPIC consortium launches innovative surveillance programme to track emerging pathogens across Africa

Posted on October 29, 2025December 15, 2025 by Alex Kandie

Accra, Ghana | 27-29 October 2025

The MosEPIC consortium has officially launched its programme to strengthen epidemic surveillance across Africa by monitoring how pathogens move between humans, animals, and the environment. The initiative introduces a novel approach that uses mosquitoes as natural samplers to detect exposure to a wide range of pathogens across the “urban–rural–forest continuum,” where human activity is rapidly reshaping ecosystems.

The project focuses on three interconnected dimensions—mosquito species, vertebrate hosts, and pathogens—to better understand how environmental change influences connectivity and zoonotic disease risk. Using advanced serological and metagenomic tools, the team will analyse mosquito bloodmeals to detect past exposure to around 20 pathogens with epidemic potential, including Ebola, Lassa, chikungunya, and dengue. Additional fieldwork will examine hotspots such as wildlife reserves, bat caves, and live-animal markets, while high-altitude sampling of windborne mosquitoes will help track long-distance movement of vectors and pathogens.

Speaking at the inception meeting, the consortium lead Dr Abdoulaye Diabaté, highlighted the transformative potential of the approach: “By harnessing mosquitoes as bio-samplers for epidemic surveillance, we will be able to potentially detect up to 20 pathogens. Our research findings will tangibly enable us to strengthen early-warning mechanisms and help authorities take appropriate measures to counter epidemic threats.”

Dr Hamidou Maiga, a Project Officer, underscored the programme’s long-term value: “This project will bring a new generation of young and well-prepared scientists to tackle emerging and re-emerging pathogens in West Africa.”

On the importance of community engagement, Dr Léa Paré emphasised: “We must develop adapted communication tools and translate our key messages into local languages to establish a constructive dialogue. This process is crucial for strengthening community engagement and ensuring a complete understanding of MosEPIC objectives.”

Reflecting on the programme’s capacity-building goals, Dr Nouhoun Traoré, Postdoctoral Scientist, noted: “The MosEPIC project presents a considerable opportunity to mitigate mosquito-borne public health risks. Besides validating a surveillance system, it will build capacity across participating nations by training students and postdoctoral researchers in the early detection of potential vector-borne diseases.”

The consortium begins its work with a shared commitment to generate robust baseline data, improve early-warning systems, and support strategies that can help prevent and mitigate future epidemics across the continent.

The MOSEPIC consortium team pose for a group photo during their inception meeting in Accra, Ghana.

Listen to Dr Diabaté introducing the MOSPEIC consortium here:

CLEAR-Africa consortium sets direction at inception meeting in South Africa

Posted on October 18, 2025December 15, 2025 by Alex Kandie

The CLEAR-Africa consortium held its inception meeting from 14–18 October 2025 at Skukuza Safari Lodge in South Africa, bringing together principal investigators and research teams from all six partner institutions. The meeting marked the official launch of a programme aimed at strengthening national and regional resilience by developing epidemiological-economic modelling frameworks to inform evidence-based decision-making.

Over three days of technical and planning sessions, partners established a shared vision, aligned methodologies, and outlined work-plans for the next two years across all work packages.

Day 1 focused on orientation and technical grounding. Teams conducted stakeholder mapping exercises and reviewed approaches to epidemiological and microeconomic modelling, including data needs, contextual differences, and considerations around ethics and data governance.

Day 2 centred on integrating work packages. Participants examined how the modelling components will align and discussed strategies for policy implementation and translation. They also explored capacity-building mechanisms—such as knowledge-translation workshops and consortium awards—and drafted activity schedules for the coming two years.

Day 3 addressed governance, financial management, and communication. Finance officers reviewed reporting guidelines, while governance discussions covered the formation of an advisory board. Partners also clarified communication protocols and expectations, closing with a Q&A session with the SFA team.

The meeting concluded with partners aligned on next steps and equipped with a coordinated plan to advance CLEAR-Africa’s modelling and capacity-building goals across the continent.

CLEAR Africa consortium team pose for a group photo during their inception meeting in South Africa

Listen to Dr Silal introducing the CLEAR Africa consortium here:

SPIL-OVA launches proactive surveillance for zoonotic viruses to strengthen Africa’s pandemic preparedness

Posted on September 9, 2025February 13, 2026 by Alex Kandie

The Surveillance Platforms and Immunology for Zoonotic Viruses with Pandemic Potential in Africa (SPIL-OVA) programme has officially launched, marking a major step toward proactive pandemic preparedness on the continent. The initiative focuses on identifying and characterising high-risk viruses circulating in African bat populations before they spread to humans or domestic animals.

SPIL-OVA will collect bat samples from East, West, and Southern Africa and use advanced laboratory and computational techniques to analyse viral diversity and assess spillover risk. By comparing newly identified bat viruses with known human and animal pathogens, the programme will flag viruses with pandemic potential for further laboratory testing. Where a high likelihood of human infection is identified, prototype vaccine components—known as immunogens—will be designed to support rapid outbreak response.

Reflecting on the kick-off meeting, Prof Charles Sande described the programme as a milestone for African-led science, “It was a coming of age moment, where the continent’s scientific priorities were defined by Africans, led by Africans and managed by Africans.”

For Dr Constantinos Kurt Wibmer, the launch signalled the start of discovery-driven science: “SPIL-OVA kicked off a thrilling hunt for hidden viruses… decoding every fold and helix, spilling viral secrets one crystal blueprint at a time.”

The kick-off meeting brought partners together for in-depth planning and scientific exchange, setting the foundation for long-term collaboration. Dr Jinal Bhiman noted that the discussions highlighted the strength of the consortium, “The meeting was an excellent prelude to the next five years of collaboration as we drive next-generation innovation and strengthen Africa’s pandemic preparedness.”

Looking ahead, Dr Chinedu Ugwu emphasised the programme’s broader impact, “From elucidating Africa’s bat virome to creating immunogen libraries, we are building the foundations for future vaccines and global health resilience.”

By combining virus discovery, risk analysis, and vaccine preparedness, SPIL-OVA aims to create an early-warning system that shifts pandemic response in Africa from reactive to preventive.