The overarching aim of TB Sequel capacity development activities is to create new African Research Centers of Excellence and strengthen the existing ones which are able to conduct cutting-edge research within a broad spectrum of TB-related research topics, and to provide knowledge on specialized pulmonary assessment and long-term care for TB patients.
Our capacity development activities are not limited to staff employed by the 4 research institutions but will also include medical staff employed either with the collaborating hospitals or the National TB Programs. As a consequence, the medical infrastructure shall be strengthened and the general medical care of TB patients in the respective areas shall be improved.
Our three main capacity development aims are to strengthen African research leadership positions at the sites, enhance sites´ capacity to perform and analyse data from their own relevant health research, incl. clinical trials, and induce health care system capacity to diagnose and support patients with PTLD. The capacity development strategy is orchestrated with our RTs and WPs activities to produce research of international standard, raise awareness of PTLD and to contribute to global PTLD policies and future research agendas.
We direct our capacity development measures to improve administrative, research and clinical skills at all levels of study/trial management staff by providing comprehensive training and support. Specifically, many of the leadership positions of the first funding period, have been replaced by the next generation of researchers, who now need leadership training, e.g., manuscript and grant writing courses. Training and support are provided mostly from within the TB Sequel II network, and here the German and South African partners will have a leading role, but courses are also sourced from our collaborators, e.g., WHO and KI.