Medical research center Kemri has signed a renewed five-year partnership with American Medical
research giant CDC in a ceremony witnessed by President William Ruto in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Memorandum of Understanding means that the Kenya Medical Research Institute will continue to collaborate with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in enhancing cutting edge research activities in Kenya.
Kemri’s acting director general Prof Elijah Songok and CDC’s Director of Global Health Centre Dr Kayla Laserson signed the MoU.
An explainer from Kemri said the deal will enhance collaborative activities between it and the CDC on a reciprocal basis.
“This collaboration will encompass human health research and programme implementation at Kemri facilities and in Kenyan communities, research and capacity building for public health threats and emergencies,” it said.
The Kemri-CDC research and public health collaboration is currently one of the largest collaborations carrying out public health research in Kenya and one of Kemri's and the Ministry of Health's main partners.
The renewed agreement will also see the dissemination and application of research findings for policy formulation, training of public health professionals, strengthening research leadership and laboratory capabilities.
Other areas of focus in the agreement include staff exchanges, and sharing of research information and materials in accordance with Kenyan laws, as well as any other mutually beneficial health-related research activities, the institution said.
Songok said the renewal of the partnership was a celebration of the forty years collaboration between Kemri and CDC and that it will enhance the capacity of the two countries to pre-empt and respond to health emergencies.
"Kemri has been collaborating with CDC for the last four decades and this important occasion at CDC headquarters today in Atlanta, is a celebration of the extensive health partnership between the US and Kenya and highlights the transformation of our partnership as we look towards addressing the health challenges of the future particularly in Africa,” Songok said.
He said the MoU signing underscored “the ways our partnership has strengthened health outcomes in both countries, including through 45 years of CDC partnership with Kenya’s public health and laboratory systems, 21 years of partnership through the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, and the implementation of the Global Health Security Agenda which contributes to regional and global health security by strengthening Kenya’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to epidemics and health emergencies.”
Renewed research collaboration, it said, will enhance modern day health research innovation and capabilities, he said.
“The event reflects on the successful partnership our two countries have had and highlight sustainable strategies, innovations, and policy commitments that will mark the future of the partnership including ensuring a trained workforce, supporting local and regional manufacturing, implementing new models of sustaining the national HIV response, focusing on cutting-edge research, and innovative investments in digital health strategies.”