West Africa NTD elimination platform to reach hard-to-reach communities
Official title: Mali, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire MGC-EPIC-NTD: A 5-Year West Africa Implementation Research Platform to accelerate Elimination of Major Neglected Tropical Diseases and Mitigate Their Threats to the US
Funded at Univ of Sciences, Tech & Tech of Bamako · NIH-11589554 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A five-year regional program in West Africa aims to accelerate elimination of several neglected tropical diseases by improving surveillance, diagnostics, and community engagement in Mali, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Sciences, Tech & Tech of Bamako NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bamako, Mali) |
| Project start | October 1, 2026 |
| Project end | September 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $50,000 |
| NIH project number | 1U01CK000729-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11589554 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are residents in Mali, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire living in remote, border, mining, or riverine communities where NTDs are still transmitted.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the target regions or those not affected by the specified NTDs are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project creates a regional platform across three countries to strengthen laboratories, data sharing, and cross-border collaboration. It blends real-world implementation with research to identify remaining transmission hotspots and optimize control efforts. Community Drug Distributors and Community Health Workers will be trained and involved in detection and reporting, with geospatial tools guiding where interventions are needed. The approach includes enhanced surveillance, lab capacity, and community-based reporting to close gaps in routine programs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients in West Africa could receive more precise and timely interventions, reducing disease transmission and complications.
How similar studies have gone: Similar regional implementation efforts have shown promise in identifying hotspots and improving intervention coverage in endemic areas.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of Sciences, Tech & Tech of Bamako
Bamako, Mali Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Coulibaly, Yaya Ibrahim — Univ of Sciences, Tech & Tech of Bamako
- Study coordinator: Coulibaly, Yaya Ibrahim
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.