LCNTDR & The HAT Platform Scientific Meeting

Achieving Human African Trypanosomiasis Elimination

The London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, The HAT Platform, and RSTMH co-hosted a series of scientific research roundtable meetings to convene global researchers working to interrupt the transmission and eliminate HAT as a public health problem. The meetings also welcomed researchers working in related areas who could contribute to the elimination effort. The focus was on work that was simple, feasible, and sustainable.

These meetings differed from other HAT-focused events on the calendar by bringing in the perspective of scientists from multidisciplinary fields, not necessarily working directly on HAT, but who shared their experience and knowledge to support the HAT elimination effort.

The objective of the meetings was to identify research gaps that, if addressed, could contribute to reaching the WHO road map targets for HAT by 2030. The events provided an opportunity to present recent and ongoing research, to learn from scientists in related fields, and for researchers and stakeholders to discuss priorities and how they might be addressed.

To coincide with the meeting, the London Centre for NTD Research, in collaboration with the HAT Platform and DNDi, published a series of abstracts presenting new research in the field of human African trypanosomiasis.

Ahead of the event, a series of short research presentations were made available to participants for review.

Roundtables

2 February, 1:00 – 3:00PM GMT
The second roundtable meeting in the series focused on social sciences and operational research advances, as well as areas where further work is needed.

Facilitator: Jennifer Palmer, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Panellists included:

• Salome Bukachi, University of Nairobi
• Charlie Kabanga, freelance social scientist
• Ann Kelly, King's College London
• Catiane Vander Kelen, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp

3 February, 1:00 – 3:00PM GMT
The third and final roundtable meeting of the series provided an opportunity to summarise the key points made in the previous sessions and to reflect on the priorities that had emerged.

Confirmed panellists included:

• Simon Croft, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Paulo Macana, Institute for Combat and Control of Trypanosomiasis, Angola
• Florent Mbo, DNDi-HAT Platform DRC
• José Ramón Franco, WHO