The latest episode of the Global Health Matters podcast, hosted by Dr Garry Aslanyan, delves into the extraordinary careers of two global health leaders and the crucial role that capacity development has played in their journeys.
This episode, produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, features insights from Dr Wilfried Mutombo, Head of Clinical Operations at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Dr Yasmine Belkaid, President of the Institut Pasteur in France. Both leaders share their experiences and the impact of TDR’s support on their professional growth.
Dr John Reeder, the Director of TDR, reflects on the importance of capacity development in fostering the potential of researchers in low- and middle-income countries. Reeder highlights his transition from hands-on research to global leadership, emphasising the value of putting research into action and nurturing talent at the grassroots level.
He underscores that effective capacity development goes beyond providing resources; it involves empowering individuals to fulfil their potential and significantly contribute to their fields.
“When you’re looking at science and laboratory science particularly, people get fixated on the expensive equipment and the fancy technology that surrounds this,” Reeder says. “But the most important investment in a laboratory is the scientist who is in that laboratory because, all other things aside, the ability to see the problem, think of innovative solutions to test them critically and to have the open mind to be able to see the discovery coming through that, you invest in that, and you’ve got great science.”
Clinical Trials in Remote Areas: Three Challenges
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Mutombo’s story is a testament to the transformative power of research capacity development. Starting as a medical doctor in a small village in the DRC, Mutombo faced the challenge of treating sleeping sickness with toxic drugs. His clinical research fellowship from TDR enabled him to lead the first clinical trial in the DRC for fexinidazole, a safer oral drug for sleeping sickness. He discusses the immense challenges of conducting high-quality clinical trials in remote areas with inadequate infrastructure and highlights the importance of sustained support and training for local health workers.
“The first challenge is to reach those areas because to perform a clinical trial, you need to go there in those areas, in those remote areas, and as you may know, we have bad roads, and sometimes this is not very safe,” Mutombo says. “The second challenge is, when you are in those areas, you can imagine in what state those health facilities are… So we had to improve these health facilities.”
Another challenge, he says, is the health workers.
“Health workers are there, but they are not aware of what a clinical trial is,” according to Mutombo. “To have a high-quality clinical trial, they needed to train them and have a very, very close supervision of their activities. So we organised all this.”
Finally, “We need our governments … to give more support and more money to maintain those facilities. This is very important for the government because the first and very important step has been done, but now we need to maintain them at that level.”
Building Research Capacity: Support is Crucial
In many ways, Belkaid’s journey from Algeria to leading the Institut Pasteur in France exemplifies the global impact of TDR’s fellowships. She speaks about the crucial support she received, which allowed her to pursue her PhD and establish a notable research career.
Belkaid emphasises creating environments that nurture talent and passion, enabling researchers to address pressing global health issues. Her vision as President of Institut Pasteur includes fostering international collaboration and continuing to build research capacities that can address future health challenges.
Belkaid says if there is anything she can do over the next few years, it will hopefully be helping in any way she can to grow and nurture the leaders of tomorrow internationally.
The episode underscores the ongoing need for international organisations like TDR and WHO to prioritise capacity building in low- and middle-income countries.
Reeder points out the shift towards in-country training and the importance of sustainable research systems driven by local needs and priorities. He says this approach helps ensure research capacity development and is not just about immediate results but about long-term, sustainable growth that empowers countries to tackle their health challenges effectively.
