The Ifakara Health Institute is proud to be part of an international team launching the largest-ever study to understand the burden of chikungunya in East Africa. This collaborative effort, known as the ACHIEVE study, brings together experts from the University of Oxford, the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), and other regional partners, with financial backing from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus, causes debilitating symptoms such as fever and severe joint pain, sometimes persisting for years. Despite its growing impact globally, chikungunya remains underdiagnosed in East Africa. The ACHIEVE study, supported by $10.3 million in funding, aims to bridge this knowledge gap by screening patients for the virus in ten healthcare facilities across Kenya and Tanzania.

The study’s objectives include evaluating the virus's prevalence in high-risk groups such as pregnant women, understanding its economic toll on health systems, and analyzing the diversity of chikungunya virus strains in East Africa. The findings will be shared openly to benefit public health globally.

This research also builds on CEPI’s work to advance vaccine development for diseases like chikungunya. With the first vaccine recently approved in the US, Canada, and the EU, ACHIEVE’s insights will inform strategies for vaccine rollout in endemic regions.

Fieldwork in Kigoma and Tanga, Tanzania, and Siaya, Kilifi, and Isiolo, Kenya, is set to begin in early 2025, marking a critical step in East Africa's fight against this emerging public health threat.

As Ifakara Health Institute collaborates on this initiative, we reaffirm our commitment to innovation and partnerships that strengthen health systems and address the region's most pressing challenges.