KEMRI strengthens ties with CDC for enhanced health research

KENYA—The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has hosted Dr. Kayla Laserson, Director of the Global Health Center at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to further solidify  the long-standing partnership between the two institutions.

This meeting, held at KEMRI Headquarters in Nairobi, follows the recent renewal of their five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in Atlanta, Georgia.

The updated MoU sets the stage for new research and scientific priorities, reflecting the evolving needs and ambitions of both organizations.

Welcoming Dr. Laserson and her team, KEMRI’s acting Director General, Prof. Elijah Songok, described the visit as a “homecoming” for Dr. Laserson.

She previously served as the CDC Director at KEMRI’s Center for Global Health Research in Kisumu and was now returning to Kenya seven years after her last assignment.

Prof. Songok expressed his gratitude for her visit, underscoring the deep-rooted connection between the CDC and KEMRI.

Prof. Songok stressed the importance of the CDC-KEMRI collaboration in his remarks, referring to it as the “spine” of KEMRI’s joint efforts.

Throughout the cooperation, which has lasted more than 40 years, KEMRI has benefited greatly from access to cutting-edge equipment, capacity building, and an enormous number of scientific publications.

He went on to say that KEMRI is now ready to compete directly for financing because of the partnership’s development of improved infrastructure and human resource capabilities.

Moreover, Prof. Songok pointed out that KEMRI has undergone substantial reforms to address previous challenges, particularly in grant management.

He expressed optimism about the new opportunities presented by the renewed MoU, stating, “KEMRI is excited about the new MoU and hopes it will open up new areas of research.”

He also praised the institute’s scientists, who have increasingly secured grants and produced impactful research, as a source of great pride for KEMRI.

In her speech, Dr. Laserson expressed her excitement for the continued partnership and the chance to investigate fresh angles while fortifying current projects.

She stressed the significance of KEMRI and Kenya’s Ministry of Health’s collaborative efforts on a worldwide scale and mentioned how their work has greatly impacted the CDC’s global health initiatives.

She emphasised the partnership’s influence on global health policy when she said, “The work that KEMRI and the Ministry of Health have done has informed how we at CDC think about global health worldwide.”

In addition, Dr. Laserson reaffirmed the CDC’s dedication to thwarting health risks at their origin and commended the collaboration for establishing vital resources like cutting-edge labs and a skilled labour force.

These abilities have proven vital in the fight against illnesses like HIV and malaria as well as in supporting vaccination campaigns.

She also acknowledged that KEMRI’s recently reorganised funding system has the potential to improve research capacity and indicated a strong interest in supporting it.

The CDC delegation emphasised during the discussion the significance of operationalising the Memorandum of Understanding in accordance with the priorities of Kenya’s Ministry of Health and the Global Health Strategic Framework.

They recognised the tremendous scientific and public health gains in infectious disease prevention and control made possible by the collaboration, including improvements to WHO recommendations.

By reiterating their commitment to enhancing public health research and promoting health outcomes, KEMRI and the CDC wrapped up the discussion on a positive note.

Making sure that the workforce is properly trained, assisting local and regional manufacturing, leading the way in cutting-edge research, and funding creative approaches to digital health are some of the future top priorities.

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