Five Kenyan innovators selected for Sh100M research funding

Kenyan scholars have scooped five of the eight slots in the Sh100 million inaugural research grants aimed at reducing deaths among pregnant mothers and children.

Two private universities and a public university produced three of the top scholars who will each get sh10 million to advance research for the next two years.

The grant can, however, be scaled up at the end of two years.

Jesse Gitaka, a lecturer at Mount Kenya University and Angela Koech Etyang, a physician Scientist and Instructor (Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology) at Aga Khan University are the two researchers from private universities.

Eric Ogola, epidemiologist at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology is the only beneficiary among public universities.

Ogola has been involved in research and control of diseases at the human-animal-ecosystem interface for nine years under the collaboration between the Kenya Medical Research Institute and the Centers for Disease Control.

Gitaka, a physician scientist, investigator and lecturer in the School of Medicine at MKU said the research will focus on premature deliveries, stillbirths, maternal bacterial infections and newborn bacterial infections.

“We will develop a point of care diagnostics to detect bacterial infections in mothers and once detected, clinicians will treat the mothers and mitigate against the adverse outcomes,” said Gitaka, the lead MKU researcher.

The ultimate goal is to improve maternal, neonatal and child health outcomes on a continent which accounts for more than half of global maternal deaths and more than three-quarters of neonatal deaths.

Tom Kariuki, AESA Director said that too many African women are still dying during childbirth unnecessarily.

“We are harnessing Africa’s best talent to transform maternal health and save lives of mothers and their children,” he said.

African woman today faces a one in 31 chance of dying from complications due to pregnancy or childbirth, compared to one in 4,300 in the developed world.

Dahabo Adi Galgallo, an Innovator in Marsabit County and Christine Musyimi of Africa Mental Health Foundation are the other two beneficiaries from Kenya.

Adi Galgallo is currently undertaking research with the Kenya Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (FELTP), sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Ministry of Health.

And Christine Musyimi is a mental health researcher and the head of research ethics and scientific publications office at Africa Mental Health Foundation (AMHF).

A statement from the African Academy of Sciences and the NEPAD Agency’s Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) made the announcement this week.

The other three African researchers are Niaina Rakotosamimanana, of Madagascar and Diawo Diallo, of Senegal.

Details of the grant indicate that these eight researchers beat 400 applicants from 20 African countries under the AESA’s Grand Challenges Africa.

This is the first round of the Grand Challenges Africa Innovation Seed Grants (GCA-ISG) supported in partnership with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Institut Pasteur of Paris.

The grant is part of the Grand Challenges Africa Innovation Grants that fund innovations that seek solutions and strategies that will help Africa achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“The eight winners of the 2017 first seed grants will each receive about Sh10 for two years to implement projects that range from a portable system to detect the Zika virus to the diagnosis of maternal bacterial infections,” reads the statement.