On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, our country hosted the official launch of the « Strengthening Clinical and Genomic Research Capacities on Arboviruses » (SC-GRA) project. The event took place under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, with key representatives from the health sector in attendance.

This sub-regional project, which I have the honor of chairing, will span five years and brings together Mali, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea. Coordinated by the West African Consortium for Clinical Research (WAC-CREP), the initiative stems from a harsh reality on the continent.

Why this project?

In February 2025, Africa was facing more than twenty simultaneous epidemics, ranging from dengue and Mpox to yellow fever. Yet, while Africa accounts for 17% of the world’s population, it contributes barely 2% of global scientific output in health. The objective is clear: to stop merely reacting to crises and start anticipating them. Therefore, the project focuses on strengthening clinical research capacities to identify emerging variants and new pathogens.

Furthermore, the SC-GRA project goes beyond surveillance; it is a comprehensive investment plan in human and technical capital. Specifically, it includes innovative pathogen sequencing, bioinformatics, and data science. It will also provide approximately fifty research and inter-institutional exchange fellowships, alongside fifteen grants to support innovative research projects on arboviruses.

To achieve this ambition, the project is supported by leading partners, including the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA), the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford, the Mastercard Foundation, and the regional leadership of WAC-CREP.

We thank our partners for their goodwill and trust in leading this project. We also extend our gratitude to the authorities of our respective countries, without whom this wonderful initiative for the well-being of our populations would not be a reality. Our thanks also go to the scientists from our different nations who are involved, directly or indirectly, in this project.

Thank you all.

We call for continued collaboration and support from our authorities to sustain these efforts over the long term.

Prof. Seydou Doumbia
President of WAC-CREP