Project News

A joint mid-term review by JICA and JST was conducted in June 2014, approximately two and a half years since the project commenced in January 2012. The objectives were to observe the progress of outputs, to find out challenges, and to make recommendations and lessons learnt for the latter half of the project.

The mid-term review was conducted by representatives from JICA and JST because the SATREPS project is supported by both agencies. The joint evaluation committee consisted of 7 personnel from JICA, JST, and counterpart organizations, confirmed documents, interviewed counterparts and project implementers, and visited institutions (Ministry of Health, KEMRI-HQ, Nagasaki University Insitute of Tropical Medicine Kenya Research Station, KEMRI-Alupe).

A scientific symposium organized by the SATREPS project was held at KEMRI Training Centre on Thursday, July 3, 2014. The 40 attendees included disease surveillance experts: Dr. Onsongo (WHO Kenya Office) and Dr. Fields (KEMRI-CDC). Young experts who have been involved in the project presented their research progress during the symposium. Training young researchers is one of the important goals for the project, and impressive growth and progress was shared during the symposium. It is expected that these young researchers to take an active role in pushing the project forward.

During the Third Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) meeting held on Thursday, July 8, 2014, results of the mid-term review were discussed. The meeting concluded that project activities were implemented as planned, and the mid-term review team expressed their excitements to see further positive impacts to come out of this project. In addition, a few suggested modifications on the PDM were agreed.

The mid-term review provided project implementers an opportunity to reflect on the past activities and to look at the plans ahead. The project members will continue working on important activities, such as the development of point of care tests and analyses of the effectivness of mSOS pilot, for the rest of the project implementation period. Through enhanced collaboration between members, the project implementers hope to achieve the objectives of the project as planned.

Visiting Nagasaki University Insitute of Tropical Medicine Kenya Research Station

Facility tour at KEMRI PD lab

Participants of the scientific symposium

Presentation from a young researcher (Mr. Kwallah)