MUTHI: Building Sustainable Research Capacity for Better Public Health in Africa

2. Multi-disciplinary University Traditional Health Initiative (MUTHI):Building Sustainable Research Capacity on Plants for Better Public Health in Africa Berit Smestad Paulsen, University of Oslo, Norway Drissa Diallo, Université de Bamako, Mali

3. Objective • MUTHI is a Coordination and Support Action project under the EC’s 7th Framework Programme (Health). The overall objective of the project is to create sustainable research capacity and research networks between the participants in Africa, collaborating neighbouring institutions, and the European project participants to obtain improved health in Africa. The primary object of research is traditional medicine. Title of session/workshop

4. Collaborators: • Universitetet i Oslo, Norway; • Universitetet i Bergen, Norway; • Université de Bamako, Mali; • Makerere University, Uganda; • University of Western Cape, South Africa; • Universiteit van die Vrystaat, South Africa; • Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands; • The University of Oxford, UK.

5. Why became MUTHI a succesful project?? Oslo Bamako Bergen Oxford Bloemfontein Amsterdam Makerere Cape Town

6. Key parts of the call HEALTH.2010.3.4-3: Building sustainable capacity for research for health in Africa. FP7-CALL-FOR-AFRICA-2010. The Coordination Action should develop and implement a concept for the sustainable development of capacity for health research in Africa in close collaboration with African research institutions and a substantial element of South-South cooperation. Topical areas to be covered should be identified through a training needs assessment with all stakeholders as part of the project and may include – among others –epidemiology and demography, health economics, environmental health, evaluation sciences, medical anthropology, and community-based health care. Interdisciplinary courses may also be considered. The format of the training interventions should be adjusted to the needs of the African partner countries; in case of formal training programmes, joint degrees or degrees from the African partner institutions should be preferred. Emphasis should be given to establishing and supporting excellent academic teaching and research networks.

7. Key parts of the call,2 Active participation of young African researchers in regional and international fora as well as exchange within African research institutions and between European and African institutions could be considered. The aim is to achieve a balanced level of participation for African countries in collaboration with their European partners and it will be considered in the evaluation Funding scheme: Coordination and Support Action (Coordinating Action). Target Region: EC contribution per project: max. EUR 2 000 000. One or more proposals can be selected. Expected impact: The action is expected to promote African health scientists along with their institutions and research networks in order to create a sustainable and attractive research landscape for health research in Africa.

8. MUTHI abstract It is recognized that research must be a basis for better health throughout Africa (e.g. Global Ministerial Forum on Research for Health, Bamako 2008, Beijing declaration 2008). As a consequence It is a priority to build research capacities in the African continent that will set good standards for development of improved health security and systems in the future. In several African countries western medicine is not widely available, and WHO has recognized the role of traditional medicine and its practitioners in primary health care. • The overall objective of this project is to create sustainable research capacity and research networks between the participants in Africa (Mali, South Africa and Uganda) collaborating neighbouring institutions, and the European project participants to obtain improved health in Africa. • In order to reach this goal we will identify needs and develop and deliver research training programmes.

9. Final point of the abstract that describes the outcome of the project The research institutions from Africa taking part in this project will at the end of the project have implemented research methodologies so that they are able to • improve traditional medicines, • identify bioactive compounds, • clinically evaluate and • register medicinal products that are used for treatment of illnesses that are frequent in African countries.

10. Coordination of MUTHI

11. The need for the African institutions is based on the strengthening of their research capacities within the areas of: • Medical Anthropology, Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology including rules and regulation related to Intellectual Property Rights. • Methodologies for determining which plants are the most relevant for the production of improved traditional medicines and nutraceuticals. • Methods for isolation and identification of natural products from the water extracts with important biological effects. • Methods for biological assays for efficacy and safety determination of important products from the relevant plants. • Development of methodologies and protocols for observational and clinical trials of plants with medicinal and nutraceutical value. • Method for producing monographs for medicinal and nutraceutical plants for the African Pharmacopoeia based on the standards from the European Pharmacopoeia.

12. Initial work • Needs assesments in all areas • Possible plants for further investigations • Decisions on who should be trained from each country

13. Progress so far • Workshops related to the different WPs • WP1- Ethnopharmacology, medical anthropology, Makerere December 2011 • WP2 – Chemical methods, Bamako November 2011 • WP3 – Bioassays, Bamako November 2011 • WP4 – Clinical trials, Cape Town October 2011 • WP5 –Intellectual property rights, Bamako November 2011

14. Kick off meeting Cape Town Januar 2011 http://www.mn.uio.no/farmasi/english/research/projects/muthi/