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The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) held today on 20th September 2024 a high-level policy dialogue meeting at Morena Hotel in Morogoro, aimed at strengthening HIV interventions in Tanzania. The dialogue focused in translating key research findings into policies that can influence changes, formulations, decision making and best practices in the control of HIV epidemic.The dialogue centered on nine key research areas, including integration of HIV care and depression, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and malaria services, introduction of point-of-care virological testing for pregnant mothers and breastfeeding women, HIV prevention in school going adolescents, increasing use and access to emergency contraceptives and its impact on risky sexual behaviours among adolescents.

NIMR-Amani Centre researchers, together with their partners from Stade Museum in Germany, today 12 September, 2024 presented the initial results of their joint research project, ” 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝒂𝒓𝒍 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒖𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝒂𝒏𝒛𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒂”,to different national institutions, which include the National Museum of Tanzania, Division of Antiquities Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Amani Nature Reserve, Urithi Museum -Tanga, Goethe Institute, University of Dar es Salaam, among othersLaunched in May 2022 and extending until 2025, this project, led by researchers from the NIMR-Amani Centre and Germany’s Stade Museum, dives deep into the origins of ethnographic objects collected by Karl Braun at the Amani Institute from 1904 to 1920. The aim to uncover the historical and ecological impacts of the Amani Institute on local communities and the environment during the German colonial era.In his opening remarks, Prof. Said Aboud, Director General of NIMR, emphasized the significance of this project not just as historical research but as a foundation for a transformative vision for the Amani Institute’s future. He highlighted the ongoing renovations and future plans to establish Amani as a center for international and local research, tourism, and education, thanking all participants for their support and collaboration. The two-day workshop hosted at NIMR Headquarters gathered key stakeholders, including the National Museum of Tanzania, the Division of Antiquities Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Amani Nature Reserve, and more. Discussions covered the historical significance of these artifacts and plans to transform the Amani Research Centre into a major historical and tourist destination.Supported by the German Centre for the Loss of Cultural Property, this project promises to enrich our understanding of colonial-era ethnobotany and heritage. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to explore and reveal the rich history of Tanzania!

Katika jitihada za kuboresha huduma za afya kwa wananchi, Taasisi ya Taifa ya Utafiti wa Magonjwa ya Binadamu (NIMR) kupitia Mradi wa utafiti wa PENPLUS, imeboresha jengo la kutolea huduma za kibingwa kwa magonjwa yasiyoambukiza katika Hospitali ya Mji Kondoa, hatua inayotarajiwa kuongeza ufanisi na kuboresha matibabu kwa wagonjwa wenye uhitaji wa huduma za kibingwa.Akizungumza wakati wa kukabidhi jengo hilo kwa niaba ya Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa NIMR, Mkurugenzi wa Taarifa na Kurekebu Tafiti ambaye pia ni Mtafiti Kiongozi wa mradi huo Dkt. Mary Mayige amesema kuwa, kupitia mradi wa PENPLUS wamekuwa wakitoa mafunzo kwa madaktari pamoja na kuwezesha Hospitali za Wilaya ili kuweza kutoa huduma kwa wagonjwa wanaohitaji huduma za ziada.Aidha Dkt. Mayige amesema kuwa katika mradi wa PENPLUS wamechagua magonjwa ambayo yanaathiri zaidi watoto kama vile kisukari aina ya Kwanza, selimundu, pamoja na ugonjwa wa moyo unaoathiri watoto (Rheumatic Heart Disease).“Kwa hiyo hawa watoto kwa muda mrefu wamekua wanashindwa kupata huduma hizi za kila siku katika hospital za wilaya kwa sababu huduma zao zinahitaji ubobezi kidogo, wengi walikua wanalazimika kusafiri kwenda Hospitali za Rufaa za Mkoa na za Kanda ili kuweza kupata matibabu, kulikuwa na changamoto kwa sababu ya umbali mrefu na watoto walikuwa hawawezi kwenda shule.” Ameeleza Dkt. Mayige.Akiishukuru NIMR baada ya kukabidhiwa jengo hilo, Mganga Mfawidhi wa Hospitaili ya Mji Kondoa Dkt. Ramadhan Lwambangulu amesema kuwa Mradi wa PENPLUS umesaidia kukuza uelewa kwa jamii juu ya magonjwa yasiyoambukiza na kuongeza uwezo na uzoefu kwa madaktari wa hospitali, hivyo ukarabati wa jengo hilo utasaidia kurahisisha utoaji wa huduma kwa wagonjwa.Ameongeza kuwa utoaji wa huduma hizo ni gharama kubwa sana hasa kwa mwananchi mwenye kipato cha chini hivyo ujio wa mradi wa utafiti wa PENPLUS umewasaidia wanachi kuepukana na gharama hizo ambazo ziliwafanya washindwe kupata matibabu.“Zile huduma za kibingwa ambazo angezipata katika hospitali za rufaa za mkoa na kanda anazipata katika Hospitali ya Wilaya kutokana na uwepo wa madaktari mabingwa ambao wanakuja kwenye kliniki ya PENPLUS, tunashukuru sana kwa hilo imetusaidia kuongeza hamasa kwa jamii yetu”. Amesema Dkt. Lwambangulu.Akizungumzia Mradi huo Mkazi wa Kondoa Mji Gema Aloyce Kilumanga ameishukuru NIMR kupitia Mradi wa PENPLUS kwa kuwaletea huduma za matibabu karibu na bila gharama yoyote kwani kabla ya ujio wa PENPLUS walilazimika kufuata huduma hizo mbali na kwa gharama wasizomudu katika Hospital ya Rufaa ya Mkoa Dodoma na katika hospitali nyingine za Kanda na Taifa. “Kabla ya hapa tulilazimika kupata huduma sehemu za mbali Dodoma, kutafuta dawa kwa gharama kubwa, lakini baada ya huduma hii kufika hapa tumeweza kupata huduma nzuri za vipimo na dawa na pia mwanangu alikua hawezi kucheza na wenzake, kwenda shule, alikua na homa za mara kwa mara, alikua mgonjwa wa kila siku, baada ya kupata huduma, mtoto huyu sasa hivi anaweza kusoma, kuendesha baiskeli, anacheza mpira, wingi wa damu ya umekuwa wa kawaida sio kama zamani, tunaishukuru sana NIMR” Amesema Gema Kilumanga Mkazi wa Kondoa Mji. Naye mkadarasi aliye karabati jengo hilo Christopher Kaijage amesema jengo hilo lilikuwa katika hali isiyokuwa ya matumizi, NIMR kupitia mradi wa PENPLUS wamewezesha ukarabati kama vile miundombinu ya maji, umeme, dari, kubadili madirisha na milango, kupaka rangi, kuweka marumaru, kugawanya vyumba na kuweka samani mbalimbali na sasa wamekabidhi likiwa katika hali ya upya na tayari kwajili ya matumizi. Jukumu kubwa laMradi wa PENPLUS ni kuongeza ufanisi na uwezo kwa Hospitali za Wilaya kutoa huduma za magonjwa yasiyoambukiza kwa wagonjwa wanaohitaji huduma za kibingwa zaidi kwa kuongeza vifaa, miundombinu, kutoa mafunzo na kuongeza madaktari wabobezi katika kutoa huduma za magonjwa yasiyoambukiza. 

Waganga na wataalamu wa tiba asili wametakiwa kuzingatia usalama na ufanisi wa dawa za tiba asili wanazozitoa kwa kuzipeleka katika vipimo vya maabara ya Mkemia Mkuu wa Serikali na NIMR ili kulinda na kuendelea kuboresha afya ya jamii na kuepuka madhara yanayotokana na matumizi holela ya dawa za tiba asili. Hayo yamesemwa leo tarehe 31/08/2024 na Naibu Waziri wa Afya Mhe. Godwin Mollel katika Kongamano la Tatu la Kisayansi la Tiba Asili lilofanyika katika ukumbi wa Rock City Mall jijini Mwanza ambapo limewakutanisha watafiti, wataalamu wa afya na waganga wa tiba asili zaidi ya 300 kutoka sehemu mbalimbali nchini. Mheshimiwa Dkt.Mollel amesema Serikali kupitia mamlaka zake inaandaa mfumo wa kuwatambua waganga na wataalamu wa tiba asili ili wajulikane, wafanye kazi zao kwa uwazi na kufuata maadili na sheria za nchi.“Niwaombe wataalamu wetu ukishamuona mtu kwenye vyombo vya habari anaongea au anazungumzia dawa za tiba asili muiteni kwanza aeleze hicho anachokisema na akithibitishe na akishindwa muelekezeni aende kwa Mkemia Mkuu wa Serikali na NIMR, hicho anachokifanya kiangaliwe ili apewe ushauri wa kisayansi akikataa kuna vyombo vya kuweza kushughulikia” amesema Mheshimiwa Dkt. Mollel Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Taasisi ya Taifa ya Utafiti wa Magonjwa ya Binadamu (NIMR) Prof. Said Aboud ametoa wito kwa waganga wa tiba asili kufanya kazi kwa karibu na NIMR ili kuendeleza tafiti za tiba asili kwa lengo la kuwa na dawa zenye usalama, ufanisi na ubora.Aidha Mwenyekiti wa Baraza la Tiba Asili Prof. Hamisi Malebo ameiomba Serikali Kuiongezea NIMR bajeti ya utafiti wa tiba asili kwa kuwa ina uwezo wa kufanya utafiti wa usalama na ufanisi wa dawa zaidi ya 100 kwa mwaka kama itawezeshwa na bajeti ya Serikali.Kongamano hilo la kisayansi la tiba asili huandaliwa na NIMR kwa kushirkiana na Wizara ya Afya na wadau mbalimbali hufanyika kila mwaka tarehe 31 Agosti likiwakutanisha watafiti, wataalamu na waganga wa tiba asili kutoka sehemu mbalimbali nchini na nje ya nchi kuwasilisha na kujadili matokeo mbalimbali ya tiba asili.

The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) on 10th July, 2024, launched a 10-day training on genomic surveillance in the cross-border ecosystem of western Tanzania. The training was conducted at Maweni Regional Referral Hospital in Kigoma. It targeted building capacity among the frontline healthcare workforce to timely detect and outsmart pathogens of epidemic potential and improve individual clinical management.In his introductory remarks, Dr. Calvin Sindato, a Health Epidemiologist and Head of NIMR Tabora Station, said that the training of the frontliners represents one of the objectives of the GREATLIFE project involving all the East African countries.Further, Dr Sindato said that the project targets to decentralize field-deployable, affordable, and mobile genomic surveillance technology to enhance risk-based mitigations against infectious diseases of epidemic potential, including antimicrobial resistance in clinical settings and environments.“Through the project, the genomic sequencing infrastructure of the health facilities in the cross-border ecosystem will be established.” Said Dr Sindato.The first cohort of 15 laboratory workforce trainees has been drawn from the Kigoma Regional Referral Hospital, Buhigwe District Council, Kasulu District Council, and Nyarugusu Refugee Camp while the training facilitators were from NIMR and Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute.

The State University of Zanzibar (SUZA) delegation led by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Mohamed M. Haji visited NIMR Mbeya Research Centre from 9th to 11th July 2024 to familiarize with research activities undertaken by the institute. The SUZA delegation consisted of Deputy Vice Chancellor – Academic, Research and Consultancy, Dr Ali M. Ussi, Dean of School of Health and Medical Sciences, Dr. Salma A. Mahmoud, Head of Department of Microbiology and Immunology Dr Seif S. Seif, Head of Department of Pathology and Biochemistry and Coordinator of Research and Publications – Degree level, School of Health and Medical Sciences Dr. Chukwuma J. Okafur and Research Coordinator – Diploma, Dr Saad M. Khamis in addition to the Vice Chancellor had opportunity to listen to various scientific presentations of ongoing projects undertaken by NIMR MMRC, paid a courtesy call to Songwe RMO, did a tour to Tunduma Health Centre which is now used as a satellite site to conduct LIFE2Scale study. The delegation had also opportunity to tour Tuberculosis, Safety and Immunology laboratories which have been accredited by ISO and College of American Pathologists (CAP) well as research clinic, pharmacy, specimen and source documents archive. During opening remarks, NIMR Director General Prof Said Aboud welcomed the delegation and expressed readiness to collaborate with SUZA in research and training. NIMR team included Director of Research Coordination and Promotion Dr Nyanda E. Ntinginya, Ag Centre Manager Dr Issa Sabi and Heads of Shedule namely Dr Lilian Tina Minja (Research programs), Dr Bariki Mtafya (Laboratory Sciences), Lwitiho Sudi (Safety and Immunology Laboratory), Dr Christina Manyama (Research Scientist) and Dr Lucas Maganga (Senior Research Scientist). The visit from SUZA comes after signing of MoU and a visit of NIMR delegation to SUZA in July 2023. NIMR Director General and SUZA Vice Chancellor reiterated their commitments to strengthen research and training collaboration between the two Institutes for the benefit of the people in the United Republic of Tanzania.

The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) today on 2nd July, 2024 conducted refresher training for reviewers on ethics in health research, from basic ethics principles to clinical trials and study designs, the discussions paved the way for better health research practices.The discussions are based on health research regulations, basic ethical principles, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the review of clinical trial protocols, qualitative study design, quantitative study design, and cross-cutting issues related to the submission and review of health research protocols.The event serves as a crucial platform to refresh the reviewers on the issues that might improve the regulations of health research through the review process.In his opening remarks, the Director General of NIMR Prof. Said Aboud said the number and types of health research protocols submitted to NIMR for approval have increased, necessitating additional review to ensure that they meet basic ethical principles and are relevant to national and international health research laws, regulations, and guidelines.Additionally, Prof. Aboud mentioned that they have amended the existing guidelines, standard operating procedures, and other frameworks that govern health research regulations, and they have updated rules and a client service charter which is available on NIMR website as of 2023.“Moreover, we recently transitioned from old, lengthy, cumbersome, and tiresome review processes that required physical submission to a current operational Research Information Management System (REIMS), an online-based system that has facilitated the review and approval processes for health research protocols”, Prof. Aboud empasized.The two-day workshop took place at the Edema Hotel and Conference Centre in Morogoro. Participants were drawn from different institutions with diverse expertise and experience in health research who are potential reviewers and National ethics approval committee members for the research conducted in our country. LABILA LABILA LABILA LABILA LABILA LABILA LABILA LABILA LABILA LABILA

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The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) on 20th June, 2024 conducted training for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) based in Dar es Salaam, on the National Research Ethics Information Management System (NREIMS) to learn the new system as a tool for the online health research protocol review and approval at both the National and Institutional levels of research ethics clearance processes.During the training participants navigated throughout the system and learned the functionalities of the multi-IRB research ethics clearance system hence the name NREIMS. In her opening remarks, on behalf of NIMR Director General, Dr. Elizabeth Shayo, Principal Research Officer at NIMR said NREIMS development involved various strategies including generation of the need assessment report indicating health research clearance processes of related institutes in the country, organizing various stakeholders meetings for deliberation of successful development of the system, preparation of NREIMS Concept Note that was reviewed and approved by the e-Government Authority (eGA), development of software requirement specifications (SRS) that justified development of the system. Further, Dr. Shayo reminded that on 14th and 18th June 2024, NIMR conducted NREIMS User Acceptance Test (UAT) workshop to NatHREC Secretariat, bringing together Administrators, Reviewers, Researchers, ICT personnel, and the management for the purpose of testing the validity of NREIMS. Report of the UAT workshop indicated that all the test modules of the system are functional and ready to serve the purpose of the online, one stop-centre multi-IRB ethics clearance system. The successful development of NREIMS was coordinated by NIMR Principal Research Officer and Co-PI of the EDCTP sponsored project known as the Consortium for Clinical Research Regulation and Ethics Capacity in the Eastern Africa Region (CCRREEA), Dr. Mwanaidi Kafuye. Dr. Kafuye said, NREIMS will harmonize health research ethics clearance processes across IRBs in Tanzania and improve quality and turnaround time of research approvals. She added that the system will enhance real-time data sharing between IRBs and NIMR and related health research regulatory stakeholders in Tanzania.The Training took place at NIMR headquarters and brought together NatHREC Secretariat, representatives from Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), IRBs from participating Institutions based in Dar es Salaam.

The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in collaboration with the Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute (KCRI) on 13th June 2024 launched the GREAT-LIFE (Linking Infectious Disease Front-liners’ Control Efforts with Central Public Health Authorities in the African Great Lakes Region) Project in Kigoma region which will strengthen the country capacity to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), early detection and timely response against the threats of infectious pathogens of epidemic potential. The launching event was graced by Hon. CGF (rtd) Thobias Andengenye, the Regional Commissioner for Kigoma. In his opening remarks, Hon. Andengenye said that the project has come at an opportune time when the risk and threats of infectious disease outbreaks are on the increase. He was glad to note that the project will improve clinical care of patients, enhance early detection of pathogens of epidemic potential through genomic surveillance and address challenges related to an ever-increasing AMR in the cross-border ecosystem, which is driven by several factors including irrational use of antibiotics and self-medication practices.In his welcoming remarks, the Director General of NIMR, Prof. Said Aboud assured the delegates that the institute in collaboration with the KCRI and other project partners will ensure that the GREAT-LIFE project implementation in Kigoma is a success. The Kigoma region will be a model for other regions in the country to learn on how integration of genomics in the routine healthcare service is an important tool for infectious diseases surveillance and case management. Further, Prof. Aboud said the project will ensure that the required skills particularly on applying genomics in improving clinical care and supporting the efforts to fight AMR in the region are acquired and applied by the front-liner healthcare service providers. Additionally, Dr. Tolbert Sonda, a genomic and bioinformatic specialist from KCRI, highlighted the strategic decentralization of the Nanopore Sequencing technology in strengthening laboratory capacities for detecting AMR and pathogens of epidemic potential in the cross-border ecosystem. The event took place at Sunset Vista Hotel in Kigoma region. It brought together delegates from the Ministry of Health, Regional Medical Officer, Regional Laboratory Coordinator, Regional Coordinator for Epidemiology & Surveillance, District Medical Officers, District Laboratory Coordinators, the incharge of Nyarugusu Health Centre from Nyarugusu Refugees Camp and delegates from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Kasulu offices.