Infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and Ebola continue to cause substantial morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where capacity for rapid clinical research during epidemics remains limited. ACT-PREP aims to strengthen clinical research preparedness and response through an equitable network of 10 African and 2 European institutions, working closely with national public health institutes and Africa CDC.

The initiative will strengthen disease surveillance and detection, research, ethics and regulatory capacities, and laboratory systems, while embedding training within PhD and postdoctoral programmes. It will promote the sharing of expertise, resources, data and technology across countries and institutions, supported by One Health and AI approaches for epidemic prediction, detection and response. ACT-PREP will train at least 100 fellows and other trainees annually and establish sustainable regional capacity for high-quality clinical research and epidemic response.

Together with NHLDS, BNITM’s One Health Disease Control and iACE groups are contributing in WPs 18 & 19. WPs 18 & 19 aim to strengthen clinical research, laboratory preparedness and outbreak response capacity for high-consequence pathogens across East and West Africa by linking national public health laboratories, universities and research institutions. 

The work will upgrade diagnostic infrastructure and surveillance systems for risk group 3/4 pathogens at strategic epidemic hotspots, strengthen laboratory quality management, biosafety, data management and LIMS, and build workforce capacity through train-the-trainer programmes in GCLP and advanced diagnostics. It will also establish collaborative frameworks for data and sample sharing, develop rapid-response clinical research and trial protocols, and promote interdisciplinary training, simulation exercises and knowledge-sharing networks. Finally, the strengthened systems will be field-tested through prevalence studies and outbreak investigations, creating a sustainable, quality-assured regional network capable of supporting rapid detection, coordinated outbreak response and operational clinical research.

Partners: Makerere University (coordinator)

Funder: EDCTP, link to CORDIS: cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101248971