The Ifakara Health Institute Annual Scientific Conference is underway in Ifakara Town – the Institute’s birth place. It kicked off with keynote speakers, Prof. Patrick Kachur from the University of Columbia and Dr. Ntuli Kapologwe from the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Governments (PO-RALG) giving compelling speeches focused on the theme “Knowledge Translation for Health Impact”.

Dr. Kapologwe stressed the importance of the conference in bridging the gap between policymakers and the community, allowing insights generated from Ifakara to find their rightful place at the patient's bedside and in the community.

Ifakara Chief Executive Director, Dr. Honorati Masanja, gave wonderful opening remarks, kicking off the three-day conference by encouraging discussions and exchange of knowledge for greater health impact.

Engaging panel discussion on malaria elimination
There was an engaging panel on malaria elimination during which seasoned researchers, Drs. Fredros Okumu, Salim Abdulla, Dunstan Bishanga, Grace Mwangoka, and Prof. Kachur, sparked electric discussions on challenges and the path ahead.

The panel weighed in on human-centered approaches to prevention and early detection tools and interventions, community empowerment, and multi-sectoral partnerships, towards achieving #ZeroMalaria transmissions in Tanzania!

Dr. Bishanga said: “One thing for sure, the vaccine is not a silver plate for malaria eradication, the development of tools does not guarantee the problem solved, that's only 30-40% of the problem, the other 60-70% are other factors within the value chain between manufacture and reaching the community.”
For his part, Dr. Abdulla said, in order to achieve malaria eradication, we have to ensure that first and foremost, everyone has a good standard of living.

Partner on the sidelines
One of the Ifakara partners in the fight against diseases - Inqaba Biotec - camped on the sidelines of the #IASC203 to showcase their work.

At the end of the event, Dr. Masanja said: "The quality of the presentations and the confidence of the presenters is just amazing. I am proud and optimistic of the next generation of IHI scientists".

The last day, kicked off with the official launching of the Annual Ifakara Scientific Report. While unveiling the report, Dr. Okumu – the outgoing Director of Science - shared valuable insights amassed throughout 2021-2022. He masterfully guided the audience through the official report, providing deep insights into the institute's impactful work.

During the session on mentorship and career development, distinguished panelists, Drs. Fredros Okumu, Dickson Wilson, Sally Mtenga, Salim Abdulla and Gerry Killeen, shared invaluable insights on how scientists can grow professionally and compete on global platforms.

Each shared their own growth stories, encouraging the audiences; "Don't work alone, don't be afraid to ask for help from others who are more experienced, and remember to be self-motivated in your pursuits," Dr. Sally Mtenga. 

Insights into leadership in science
Prof. Killeen gave a very engaging talk titled "The Subtle Art of Herding Cats: Cultivating Cadres of Expert Leaders who are Individually Independent but nevertheless collaborate and Learn Together as Effective Teams."

Ampuriire Patience delved into the unique biological and cultural challenges faced by male and female scientists, she uncovered recommendations for inclusive scientific progress.

>> View event photos here: https://ifakarahealthinstitute.smugmug.com/IASC2023 

About the #IASC2023

The Ifakara Annual Scientific Conference (IASC2023) takes place from August 23-25 in Ifakara Town, Morogoro, Tanzania at the Homeland Hall. The conference theme is “Knowledge Translation for Health Impact”. This year's IASC will marks the conference's comeback after a three-year hiatus.

The IASC2023 is designed to bring together researchers with diverse backgrounds within the Institute to share their expertise. Through keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the latest advances in research and strategies for improving health outcomes.

This year’s IASC2023 conference on “Knowledge Translation for Health Impact” is a valuable opportunity for Ifakara scientists to learn, network, and collaborate with others, with the shared goal of improving health outcomes for all.