Dr. Alash'le G. Abimiku, PhD, MS, Professor, UM School of Medicine

Collaborators: Prof. Jean Nachega, University of Pittsburgh, Stellenbosch University, and Catholic University of Bukavu, DRC; Prof. Kwasi Torpey, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana; Dr. LaRon Nelson, Yale University; Dr. Marcel Yotebieng, Albert Einstein University and University of Kinshasa, DRC; Dr. Habakkuk Yumo, R4D International, Cameroon; Prof. Echezona Ezeanolue, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

In addition to malaria, West and Central Africa is endemic for TB, viral hepatitis, non-communicable diseases and more recently, Ebola outbreaks. The region has lower global health research capacity and productivity, with fewer successful cross-country collaborations compared to East and southern Africa.

The region needs to strengthen and sustain research capacity via building individual capacity through close mentoring, to successfully bid for grants, implement studies, and publish scientific evidence. Individual capacity should be developed towards institutional and regional capability.

The Scholar IS project partners the University of Maryland Baltimore, the Central and West Africa Implementation Science Alliance (CAWISA), and the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria to develop an implementation science career development toolkit that aims to mature post-graduate scholars into successful independent investigators. This will be a locally-tailored, hands-on mentored approach to building sustainable research capacity. Focus countries are Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Dr. Nadia A. Sam-Agudu was one of the original grant awardees.