From the 8th – 9th May 2024, the Medical Research Council Unit in The Gambia, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (MRCG at the LSHTM), hosted the Centre for Global Chronic Conditions Symposium aimed to explore partnerships for tackling cardiometabolic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and lipid disorders.

The Symposium being hosted at the MRCG for the first time brought together researchers from multiple disciplines including the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), MRC Uganda, Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), The Health Research Unit THRU ZIM in (Zimbabwe), and Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) along with staff from MRCG at LSHTM both in person or online.

According to the Head of Operations at MRCG, Davis Nwakanma, the Unit has been making significant progress in conducting research on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). In his address, he welcomed the collaboration on this global health issue with other stakeholders in the healthcare and research sectors to advance sustainable solutions.

The Centre for Global Chronic Conditions Symposium is being held in The Gambia for the first time and has brought together multiple institutions across Africa and Europe.

Adrianna Murphy, co-Director at the Centre for Global Chronic Conditions highlighted this as a significant achievement stating, “this facilitates dialogue between researchers from various institutions, and we hope the Symposium will serve to strengthen collaborative links across the continent and enable sharing of lessons and challenges.”

Anthony Etyang, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Demography at KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, highlighted that“adequate funding will enable scientists to pursue locally relevant topics of research on cardiometabolic conditions while building capacity. Although research into cardiometabolic conditions requires significant investments, this can be justified by the huge health and economic burdens that these conditions cause, resulting in adverse outcomes at individual and population level.”

The symposium presents a unique opportunity to showcase the ongoing work at MRC Unit The Gambia, learn from other experts and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

“Our team works closely with the NCD programme at the Ministry of Health of The Gambia, and with the Regional Health Directorate in Mansa Konko, as well as with the primary health care structures in the Kiang West District. This is to ensure that we continue to conduct research that is relevant to the health needs of the people of The Gambia and to ensure that our findings are easily translated into policy and practice”, said Modou Jobe, Clinical Fellow at MRCG.

With this Symposium, MRCG seeks to continue collaborating to identify effective interventions and support implementation and sustainability in local health systems.