Delivering Effective Strategies for Hepatitis C in Ethiopia (DESTINE) program partners visited Jimma University. The overarching aim of the program is to generate epidemiological, modelling and pathways of care data for an Ethiopian context that will inform strategic planning for HCV and enhance associated research skill sets within four major Medical schools. The project started on October 2021 and will run for four years. Website: https://destine-ethiopia.org/
This National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded global research group program is a collaboration between the Universities of Dundee, Bristol, Addis Ababa, Gondar, Jimma, Mekelle, and Hadassah – Hebrew University, as well as the Ethiopian Public Health Institute and the Armauer Hansen Research Institute.
During the partners’ visit public lecture was presented, project progress was assessed, and that laboratories were visited.
Prof Margaret Hellard provided a talk on the topic “Hepatitis C the rock but achievable path to elimination”. In her talk she addressed the global situation of HCV, its transmission, populations at most risk, its treatment, major challenges and gaps to reach the 2030 targets, and the way forward on how to simplify and integrate services, community engagement, harm reduction, and health care and blood safety.
The second speaker was Dr Wondwossen Amogne from Addis Ababa University. In his talk he addressed the efficacy of HCV treatment, how the HIV care pathway was developed and was adapted to HCV, and highlighted the scope, and aims of DESTINE program.
Lastly, Prof Margaret Hellard, Dr Wondwossen Amogne and Dr Sarah Inglis were on the stage and discussion was made with the attendees. The session was then closed by Dr Elias Ali Yesuf.
After the public lecture and general discussion, the partners visited Jimma University laboratory on tropical diseases, virology laboratory, and molecular laboratory. The laboratories presented their capabilities and their research including on Soil Transmitted Infections diagnosis using Artificial Intelligence.
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