Community Engagement – Best Practice & Monitoring and Evaluation Training

Mozambique – 20 June 2023

A successful Community Engagement Best Practices and Monitoring and Evaluation training day was hosted at INS Maputo, Mozambique on 20 June 2023. Facilitators, Ms Zani de Wit from UCT Lung Institute in Cape Town South Africa, and Ms Christine Laidson from National Institute for Medical Research in Mwanza, Tanzania, led the day’s activities. A total of 21 participants attended the workshop, including clinical investigators, study coordinators, community engagement staff and Community Advisory Board members. Through a combination of PowerPoint presentations, illustrations, group discussions and practical activities, the research team significantly broadened their knowledge and understanding of engagement in clinical research and could apply what they have learned to their community engagement approach and framework. The site also received copies of the Good participatory Practice Handbook, which will be a valuable resource for conducting community engagement according to the GPP guidelines.

Uganda – 22 June 2023

The training  in  Uganda  was  held  at  Uganda  Case  Research  Collaboration on 22 June 2023,  facilitated by Christine Laidson. Similar to  the  Mozambique  session,  it  attracted  19  participants  including  the Clinic  Director,  CE  officers,  research  pharmacists,  Nurse  counsellors,  Research  nurses,  study coordinators,  CAB  members,  Records  officers,  medical  officers  and  Health  home  visitors. The training followed a similar format combining presentations, interactive discussions, and practical exercise. This site also received copies of the Good Participatory Practice (GPP) handbook.

The training sessions conducted in Mozambique and Uganda on Community Engagement and Monitoring and Evaluation were successful in providing participants  with  the  necessary  knowledge  and  skills  to  improve  their  practices. The distribution of the GPP handbook will further support their ongoing efforts in CE practices.