A team of scientists from Uganda Virus Research Institute(UVRI) led by Dr Benjamin Watyaba and Saidat Namuli conducted a protocol training on 16th -17th August 2023 at the AIDS Support Organization TASO-Jinja in Uganda on the study entitled “Manifestation of Cardiac & Kidney diseases among Adolescents and Young people living with HIV (MACK study)”. This study was coordinated by work package one under the Eastern Africa Consortium for Clinical Research 3 (EACCR3). EACCR is a network of excellence funded by European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnerships (EDCTP).
The aim of the study is to assess the prevalence of Cardiac and kidney diseases among Adolescents and Young people living with HIV attending ART clinics at TASO-Jinja, Uganda, and Mwananyamala referral Hospital -Dar Es Salaam Tanzania.
This training covered various topics that included an overview of the Study Protocol, regulations, ethics, Informed Consent process and SOP, QC and QA (monitoring issues), Study Data Collection Tools, Database hands-on, Review of study master file/organization, Implementation plan, site preparedness & recruitment strategy.
A total of 20 participants were trained which included clinicians, study nurses, Councilors, Research Assistants, Laboratory technologists and Data managers. The course consisted of learning sessions and hands on Database entry delivered by the Co-Principal Investigator, Research Nurse, and a Monitor from UVRI.
The training included both lectures and hands-on sessions in the form of PowerPoint presentations. The first day started with a general introduction, Opening remarks, and study protocol overview while the second day focused on Study Data Collection Tools, Database hands-on, and the Implementation plan.