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Projects

1.  Rapid and reliable detection of patients with severe respiratory infections in the emergency room (2021/2

Project partner: GIZ Ltd. – German Society for International Cooperation

Objective: Use of the first (rapid) molecular SARS-CoV-2 test at KCMC for

  • Patients with severe (respiratory) infections and suspected SARS-CoV2
  • Pandemic preparedness
  • Agile and versatile testing strategies (e.g. other respiratory viruses)
  • Point-of-care testing (established in the clinical laboratory)
Abott GmbH

Contact:

Dr. Christian Kreisel; Email: ; Tel. +49 178 / 7225846  

2. Risk and Preventive features for the development of Atopy and Asthma in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania -RIPA2TAN-

Project Partners:

University Hospital Gießen-Marburg

German Society for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: Identification of risk and preventive characteristics for the development of atopy and asthma in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania - start of the pilot project (II/III 2022); subject recruitment (III/IV 2022-2023); study analysis (IV 2023)

H. Renz

H. Renz

The Project Team KCRI - Tanzania (left to right) Allen Lyimo, Winfrida Mwita, Alice Andongolile, Harald Renz (Co-PI), Victor Mosha, (Gisela Nyakunga (Co-PI), Blandina Mmbaga, not pictured)

Contact:

PD Dr. Chrysanthi Skevaki; Email: ; Tel. +49 6421 / 58-63850  

3. Center of Excellence in Laboratory Medicine Harmonization, integration and modernization of clinical, research and teaching laboratories at KCMC, KCMUCo and KCRI -

Project partners:

 Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, subsidiary of the KfW banking group
Roche - the world's largest pharmaceutical company
DeveloPPP - funding programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

With the support of our project partners, a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence for Laboratory Medicine is under construction – finalisation expected by the end of 2024

H. Renz
H. Renz

Impressions of the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Centre of Excellence in Laboratory Medicine in July 2022, accompanied by medical professionals from Marburg.

C. Kreisel
C. Kreisel

The Department of Medicine at Philipps University is facilitating the construction of a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence in Laboratory Medicine in Moshi, Tanzania. In cooperation with the biotechnology company Roche and the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC), a center unique in the region is being created that will significantly optimize local health care. The three-year partnership is co-financed by the German Investment and Development Company (DEG) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The groundbreaking ceremony for the Center of Excellence took place on 8 July 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how   important diagnostics are for the sustainability of healthcare systems. This project is a step towards a modern laboratory facility, enabling reliable and timely diagnostics of communicable diseases such as SARS-CoV-2, tuberculosis and HIV, as well as non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and others. The Center of Excellence will contribute to improved disease management and support local physicians meeting the changing requirements of the health system in Moshi. "Diagnostic testing is a fundamental part of disease prevention and treatment," said Allan Pamba, Africa Network Lead, Roche Diagnostics. "With a history of over 70 years in Africa, Roche is uniquely positioned to offer expertise in diagnostic infrastructure, system optimisation and process harmonisation. This is critical to increasing testing in Africa and ultimately providing patients with a better quality of life."
The project will enable KCMC to offer improved diagnostics with a wider range of laboratory tests. These include those that previously had to be sent abroad. This can significantly reduce turnaround times for laboratory results.
In addition, the project promotes the development of further capacities for medical training, e.g. of laboratory physicians or biomedical technicians.

"Next to infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the second largest health burden in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)", explains Prof. Dr. Harald Renz. “More people die from cardiovascular disease, lung disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and cancer in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, laboratory diagnostics is a significant pillar for the early detection, monitoring and treatment of these diseases as well as the advancement of prevention strategies.

The new Center of Excellence is a novel approach to address this important global health issue in northern Tanzania and beyond.” Prof. Harald Renz is Director of the Institute for Laboratory Medicine at Philipps University and President of the German Society for Laboratory Medicine (DGKL). Regine Hess is the German Ambassador to Tanzania.
"Germany is looking back on a long history of government cooperation with Tanzania in the health sector, especially in mother-child care," reported R. Hess. “ “I am pleased that today we can add a public-private partnership with Roche, funded by DEG, a subsidiary of KfW Development Bank, which will strengthen laboratory capacity at KCMC in Moshi, one of the country's leading hospitals."
The new Center of Excellence for diagnostics will integrate and harmonize all clinical, research and teaching laboratories and facilities under one roof. This will be accompanied by the availability of a broad, state-of-the-art repertoire of tests and instruments that is unique in the northern region of sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, the team will develop a dedicated training concept for the next generation of physicians, scientists and medical technicians.

Contacts:

4. Characterization of rural (Siha) and urban (Moshi downtown) environmental factors, lifestyle conditions and the impact of climate change

Project Partners:

University Hospital Gießen-Marburg

German Society for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine

Objectives: Characterization of rural (Shia) and urban (Moshi Downtown), environmental factors and lifestyle conditions and the impacts of climate change based on:

  • Satellite images (land use: greenness, forests, housing, agriculture, industry, roads)
  • Socio-Economic indicators (mobility, electricity, living conditions and transportation, income, schools, cellular phones, population)
  • Health Care (health indicators, hospitals, pharmacies, disease pattern)
  • Weather and Climate (rainfall, temperature, wind)
  • Environmental data (air quality, agriculture, urbanization, industry, water quality)

Impressions from Moshi

C. Kreisel
C. Kreisel
C. Kreisel

Contacts: