Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has partnered with Kenyan scientists in the diaspora to advance human health research.
The partnership initiated with the Kenya Diaspora Alliance (KDA) will establish a formal Diaspora Engagement programme which is set to commence in January 2024.
Under the partnership, diaspora scientists and professors will be able to visit Kemri and co-mentor Masters, PhD and Post-doctorate trainees to develop the critical local mass for product development
The diaspora scientist shall also support external fundraising activities through drawing partnership research and innovation grants from the diaspora to Kemri.
The deal will also see diaspora scientists facilitate partnership between their mother institutions abroad with Kemri and in return, Kemri will provide the platform such as labs, personnel, populations and clinical trial sites for Kenya Diaspora scientists who wish to carry out their projects in Kenya.
Kemri Director General and CEO Elijah Songok has said the mutual benefits that would arise from the collaboration will yield groundbreaking results, offering the promise of improved healthcare outcomes for Kenya and the broader international community.
Songok noted that the Kenya Diaspora has members working in abroad universities, research institutes and pharmaceutical companies who have great expertise and experience in drug, vaccine and diagnostic development.
“Kemri wishes to partner with such members of the Kenya Diaspora Alliance. The COVID-19 epidemic taught Kenya and Africa to depend on her own,” Songok said.
He added:
“That in the event of a global pandemic emergency, development partners, will first take care of their own. It is therefore key for us to join hands and work together.”
Kemri is best known for its groundbreaking research in disease outbreak, containment and development of new tools to diagnose, prevent and treat emerging new diseases.
The Covid-19 pandemic showed the critical nature of KEMRI to the country’s public health emergency response needs.
Working with the Kenya Diaspora scientists offers a potential platform for the institute to anchor its global reach to effect its mandate to the people of Kenya and the region.