VillageReach, Takeda partner to improve disease diagnosis in Africa

AFRICA—The U.S.-based nonprofit organisation VillageReach has launched a new program, funded by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, to improve laboratory sample transportation for epidemic-prone infectious diseases across Africa. 

The program, which began in January 2025, aims to strengthen health systems in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Guinea, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The initiative will enhance the diagnosis of diseases such as polio, measles, yellow fever, Ebola, pox, and cholera by addressing challenges in transporting laboratory samples.

Faster sample transport will lead to quicker diagnoses and more timely responses, ultimately saving lives in hard-to-reach areas. 

Emily Bancroft, CEO and President of VillageReach, emphasized the importance of this initiative, noting that robust primary health care systems are essential for responding swiftly to disease outbreaks.

 She highlighted that the partnership with Takeda will help build the necessary infrastructure to improve epidemic preparedness and protect communities. 

The Integrated Laboratory Transport Systems to Stop Outbreaks program seeks to improve the efficiency and integration of laboratory sample transport.

It also ensures the quality and integrity of samples during transit, leading to more accurate and timely diagnoses.

Additionally, the initiative will support community engagement, provide specialized training for health workers and transporters, and help countries manage surges in sample transportation demand. These efforts will contribute to containing outbreaks quickly and effectively, reducing their impact on vulnerable populations. 

The program’s key objective is digitising and integrating electronic reporting systems in all participating countries.

This will enhance data tracking for sample movements and laboratory results, improving disease surveillance.

The initiative will also strengthen notification systems and establish patient feedback mechanisms, creating more responsive and resilient healthcare systems. 

VillageReach will improve transport routes in the DRC for patient samples from 11 provinces to national and regional laboratories.

The initiative will also train 3,500 community leaders in crisis communication and provide biosafety training for health workers and local transporters. 

The program will expand sample transportation in Malawi beyond polio and measles to include other outbreak-prone diseases.

This expansion will cover all 800+ health facilities, and 400 community health workers will be trained in outbreak detection and response. 

VillageReach’s local partner, FHI 360, will collaborate with the Ministry of Health to manage sample transport for all infectious diseases in Guinea.

A countrywide network of private transporters—using motorcycles, boats, minibuses, and flights—will ensure samples are moved efficiently.

The initiative also includes a locally developed web and app-based data management system to track sample movements. 

In Tanzania, the program will focus on training healthcare workers and engaging local communities in regions affected by cholera and measles outbreaks.

Traditional healers, local leaders, and influential figures will be involved in raising awareness and improving sample transportation.

VillageReach will also support the training of hotline workers at the national health call center to provide outbreak-related advice. 

In Uganda, VillageReach will work with the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) to increase the frequency of sample pickups as part of the integrated National Lab Sample Transport System.

Community health teams in 45 high-risk districts will be trained in biosafety and early outbreak detection. 

Four participating countries will implement real-time GPS tracking and remote temperature monitoring (RTM) to ensure the safe and timely delivery of samples. 

This initiative builds upon VillageReach’s Polio Lab Sample Transport Program, which has been active in 15 African countries since 2022 in partnership with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

It is part of Takeda’s Global CSR Program, which has committed approximately US$8 million over four years to support epidemic response in these five countries. 

VillageReach aims to directly impact 116,000 people through this collaboration while improving disease detection and surveillance systems that will benefit millions more.

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