Date: November 26, 2019 – November 28, 2019,
Venue: Mount Meru Hotel Arusha, Tanzania

Introduction

CYSTINET-Africa stands for Cysticercosis Network of Sub-Saharan Africa. Taenia solium cysticercosis/taeniosis/neurocysticercosis (TSCT/NCC) is a neglected infectious disease which can be eliminated. It is endemic in many sub-Saharan countries. The high prevalence of this disease affects human and animal health alike and thus has socio-economic effects in affected countries.

The cysticercosis research network CYSTINET-Africa, which is based on the One-Health concept that connects human and animal health for the effective management of infectious diseases, is set up to contribute to elimination and prevention of Taenia solium cysticercosis/Taeniosis/neurocysticercosis (TSCT/NCC).

CYSTINET-Africa consists of four African partner institutions ( Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro Tanzania, National Institute for Medical Research, Dar Es Salaam Tanzania, University of Zambia, Lusaka Zambia and Eduardo Mondale University Maputo, Mozambique) and two German partners at the Technical University of Munich) and  has defined the following objectives:

• Study of the pathomechanisms in a one-health approach;
• Implementation of treatment strategies especially against the background of the African HIV epidemic;
• Intensive epidemiological work-up of the local endemic situation to improve prevention;
• Development of a low-cost locally-adapted health education package;
• Intensive network cooperation to promote capacity building at national and international levels;
• Implementation of institutional and systemic structures including the establishment of the Virtual One-Health Centre with an integrated research school in the African partner countries.

The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with the objective of facilitating world-class and interdisciplinary research on poverty-related and neglected diseases. In addition, the funding initiative also aims at increasing capacity of North-South and South-South research collaborations to produce locally relevant and useful research which will contribute to achieving many of the SDGs, especially Goal 3.

Therefore, the design of this programme emphasises research that is relevant to the local or regional needs of African partners, excellent joint research with equal status between research partners. Aside from excellent research, it puts special emphasis on networking and sustainable capacity building of the African partner institutions, both scientifically and administratively.