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Abstracts of Poster and e-Poster Presentations
PA-684 Strengthening national ethics committees in West and Central Francophone Africa: progress, challenges, and perspectives
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  1. Mbih Jerome Tosam1,2,
  2. Apungwa Cornelius Ntabe1,3,
  3. Nchangwi Syntia Munung1,
  4. Primus Che Chi1,4,
  5. Evelyn Ngwa Lumngwena1,5,6,
  6. Elsy Mankah Ngwa7,
  7. Godfrey B Tangwa1,
  8. Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer1
  1. 1Cameroon Bioethics Initiative, Cameroon
  2. 2University of Bamenda, Cameroon
  3. 3University of Buea, Cameroon
  4. 4KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya
  5. 5School of Clinical Medicine, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
  6. 6Center for the study of emerging and re-emerging infections, Institute for medical and medicinal plant studies, Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Cameroon
  7. 7Department of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA

Abstract

Background National Ethics Committees (NECs) are critically required to ensure rigorous and ethically sound health research. In Francophone Africa, in spite of a rise in the bulk of clinical and biomedical research, and the fact that the region is highly vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases, NECs have not reached the institutional maturity of their counterparts in Anglophone Africa. To address these challenges, the Cameroon Bioethics Initiative (CAMBIN) received funding for strengthening the capacity of NECs in four Francophone African countries: Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Niger.

Methods Through the project called “Strengthening National Ethics Committees in West and Central Francophone Africa (SNECFA)”, CAMBIN supported NEC members (1) to write/update their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the review of research protocols during routine and emergency health situations; (2) register/renew their Federal Wide Assurance number (FWA); (3) develop and/or revise Training and Resources in Research Ethics Evaluation (TRREE) national supplement for their country; (4) disseminate the SOPs and TRREE national supplements and (5) draft a collaboration plan (Mali with Niger and Cameroon with Chad).

Results CAMBIN provided customized training programmes for NEC members. The four NECs have developed their SOPs following the WHO guidelines and are currently using them for the review of research protocols. They all have an active FWA registration – improving their international visibility. The NECs are developing and/or updating their TRREE national supplements. Finally, a groundwork for knowledge sharing, exchange of ideas and good practice between the NECs has been created through the development of two (Mali/Niger and Cameroon/Chad) collaboration plans.

Conclusion The capacity of NECs in Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Niger is being strengthened. The dissemination of the SOPs and the TRREE national supplements within the scientific community will further boost their national and international visibility. Collaboration plans will be implemented in the coming months.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2023-EDC.267

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