Communication and Dissemination

The objective of this work package is to ensure that the plans, methods, progress and outcomes of the program of work are disseminated to all stakeholders in the treatment and elimination of onchocerciasis in sub-Saharan Africa.

Results which are not confidential will be:

·     Submitted as abstracts to scientific conferences (e.g. ASTMH, ECTMIH);

·     Published in open access journals (e.g PLoS, BMC);

·     Made openly available to all stakeholders involved in the elimination of onchocerciasis and other NIDs.

The participants leading each WP will be responsible for the communication and dissemination of their work packages with the support of the project manager at LIH and the Executive Management Committee members. This will be supported by each WP team member contributing to dissemination when they are participating in technical advisory committees convened by national NTD programmes, meetings of the NGO network and R&D community addressing NIDs, and scientific meetings.

The following key communication and dissemination activities are embedded in specific Work Packages:

·      Open access publications relating to the protocols and results of community-based surveys in Cameroon (WP2)

·      Open access publications relating to the protocols and results of the bioequivalence study in Ghana (WP4)

·      Open access publications relating to the results of the PK modelling (WP5)

·      Publication of study protocols (WP2 and WP4)

·      Community feedback events (WP2 and WP4)

Authorship will include Principal Investigators and other key local scientific staff while others, including participants in the studies, will be acknowledged for their contributions.

Ultimately the impact of this work will be dependent on targeted exploitation of the outcomes of the project at the conclusion of EDCTP / LNFR funding.These exploitation activities include the goals of updating the regulatory labelling of moxidectin to include reference to the alternative formulation and inclusion of moxidectin in WHO guidelines for treatment of onchocerciasis and on WHO Essential Medicines Lists. MDGH will take the lead on post-project exploitation activities.