Ouagadougou

Increasing heat exposure caused by climate change is affecting communities worldwide, especially those living in poor housing conditions such as informal settlements and low-income households. This research aims to study the impact of applying sunlight-reflecting cool roof coatings on indoor temperatures and overall health. The trial is a global, multi-center, cluster-randomized controlled study conducted in five urban climate hotspots across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania, where heat exposure and vulnerable housing conditions pose significant health risks. The study compares households that receive a cool roof coating, which reflects sunlight and reduces indoor heat, with those that keep their original roofs. The cool roof coating works by reflecting ultraviolet and visible sunlight and radiating absorbed heat, thus lowering indoor temperatures and energy use. The trial will run over a 12-month period, including the hottest months of the year, to measure the effects on health, indoor environment, and economic outcomes. Participants will undergo repeated measurements including resting heart rate, blood glucose control, depression symptoms, and various health and environmental factors over the course of the study. Data will be collected at baseline and multiple times during the hottest months and alternate months. Researchers will monitor indoor air temperature, humidity, heat index, and household energy use continuously. The study seeks to provide evidence on whether cool roofs can improve physical, mental, and social wellbeing in vulnerable populations facing extreme heat.

Researchers are investigating whether taking calcium supplements and iron-containing multiple micronutrient supplements together affects the hemoglobin or iron status of pregnant women and their newborns. This study focuses on pregnant women in Burkina Faso and Pakistan, where diets often lack essential micronutrients. The trial aims to see if co-administering these supplements impacts maternal and infant health compared to taking them separately, as currently recommended by the World Health Organization WHO. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups one group takes a daily multiple micronutrient supplement with 30 mg iron together with a calcium supplement every morning, while the other group takes the multiple micronutrient supplement in the morning and calcium in the evening. The calcium dose is 500 mg elemental calcium as calcium carbonate. This trial includes 3,200 women in total and follows them from early pregnancy through delivery to assess the effects on hemoglobin and iron levels. During the study, participants visit antenatal clinics monthly for monitoring, including blood sample collection at early, mid 20-24 weeks, and late pregnancy 30-34 weeks. Researchers also collect blood from infants within 72 hours after birth. Assessments include hemoglobin concentration, iron status markers, and inflammation indicators. Adherence to supplement regimens and any side effects or anemia signs are tracked. The study lasts throughout pregnancy, with detailed follow-up of maternal and infant iron-related health.

Researchers are evaluating the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure CPAP with a Boussignac valve in adults experiencing acute hypoxemic respiratory failure ARF, a serious emergency often requiring intensive care and invasive mechanical ventilation. This trial is focused on settings like Burkina Faso, where access to invasive ventilation is limited, and non-invasive supports such as CPAP could reduce the need for intubation and improve patient outcomes. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups within three hours of meeting inclusion criteria. The CPAP group will receive continuous CPAP using a Boussignac device for 6 to 12 hours, followed by intermittent use based on tolerance, alongside standard oxygen therapy. The standard group will receive oxygen therapy via nasal prongs or masks until intubation criteria are met, death occurs, or oxygen is no longer needed. Treatment adjustments and intubation decisions depend on clinical status and resource availability. During the study, participants will be monitored for intubation criteria over 7 days, oxygenation levels, and safety of CPAP use. Other assessments include mortality at 28 days, hospital stay duration, organ failure-free days, and CPAP tolerance. The study will take place in four university hospitals in Burkina Faso, involving emergency and intensive care departments, with follow-up evaluations and data collection conducted accordingly.

Researchers are evaluating a phase 2 clinical trial of a genetically altered Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite vaccine called PfSPZ-LARC2 in healthy adults living in an area with malaria exposure in Africa. This vaccine uses parasites that stop developing in the liver stage and do not enter the blood, aiming to trigger strong immune responses without causing malaria. The trial compares one-dose and two-dose regimens to see if they can protect against natural malaria infections over time. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups two doses of the vaccine four weeks apart, one dose of placebo followed by one dose of vaccine, or two doses of placebo, all given by direct venous inoculation. Before vaccination, participants will be treated to clear any existing malaria infection. Monitoring for side effects will occur between and after vaccinations, with detailed follow-up for symptoms and laboratory tests. Active and passive surveillance for malaria infections will begin two weeks after immunization and continue up to 40 weeks. During the study, participants will have blood samples taken every two weeks to detect malaria parasites and evaluate immune responses. Malaria symptoms will be closely monitored with immediate testing and treatment if needed. Safety will be tracked through adverse event reporting and laboratory tests. The primary outcome is the vaccines ability to prevent the first malaria infection detected by blood smear during the first 24 weeks after vaccination, with additional follow-up to assess longer-term protection and safety.

This registry collects detailed information about children diagnosed with cancer who are treated in pediatric oncology units affiliated with the French African Oncology Group in French-speaking Africa. Its goal is to gather data on patient numbers, cancer stage, treatments received, and outcomes to support better planning and delivery of pediatric oncology care in the region. The registry aims to provide valuable insights for local and national health authorities to improve pediatric cancer programs. Children and adolescents under 18 years old who present at participating pediatric oncology units and have any type of cancer are included in this observational registry. Data collected includes demographic information, socioeconomic status, clinical details, treatment status, vital status, treatment abandonment, and loss to follow-up. The information is entered online using the REDCap system and securely stored by the IT department at Gustave ROUSSY in Paris. Participants information is gathered continuously during their treatment and follow-up at the hospital units. The main measures tracked include the number of children suspected of having cancer within 12-month periods, their vital status, illness status, and treatment status. This ongoing data collection helps monitor outcomes and supports healthcare planning. Participation involves no experimental treatment and is focused on data recording and observation over time.

Researchers are investigating the best timing for giving the R21Matrix-M R21MM malaria vaccine to infants to better align with other routine vaccinations. This vaccine, recommended by the World Health Organization, targets the malaria parasites early stage and aims to generate protective antibodies. The study focuses on infants in areas with moderate to high malaria transmission and compares different vaccine schedules to find the most effective one. Infants aged 6 to 7 weeks are randomly assigned to one of three vaccination schedules a compressed schedule at 6, 10, and 14 weeks a relaxed schedule at 2, 4, and 6 months or a relaxed schedule at 3, 6, and 9 months. Some infants receive the R21MM vaccine, while others receive a placebo in the compressed schedule group. All infants receive routine vaccines at recommended ages alongside the malaria vaccine. A booster dose of R21MM is given at 15 months in all groups. Participants will have blood samples taken at baseline and after the third and fourth doses to measure antibody levels against malaria. The study also monitors side effects and adverse events following each vaccination. Parents will bring their infants to clinic visits and may have home visits for safety monitoring. The trial includes careful follow-up to assess immune responses and vaccine safety over time, with participation lasting through the booster dose at 15 months of age.

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness and real-life impact of a new way to deliver the R21 malaria vaccine combined with seasonal malaria chemoprevention SMC in children living in areas with highly seasonal malaria transmission in Burkina Faso and Mali. This Phase 4, two-arm cluster-randomized trial compares two vaccination approaches in children within defined health center areas, measuring clinical malaria cases, vaccine coverage, acceptability, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness. Children in the control group will receive the R21 vaccine through routine EPI vaccination either year-round for ages 5 to 36 months in Burkina Faso or as an annual campaign before malaria season and SMC delivery in Mali. The intervention group will receive a three-dose primary vaccine series aligned with SMC distribution during an annual campaign, covering children aged 3 to 59 months. These approaches aim to assess different delivery strategies of the R21Matrix-M vaccine alongside SMC. Participants will be monitored through routine malaria surveillance to track clinical malaria incidence. Cross-sectional surveys will check for malaria parasites in the community. Researchers will also assess vaccine coverage, acceptability, feasibility, adverse events, stakeholder perceptions, behavioral factors affecting vaccine uptake, and cost-effectiveness over periods ranging from 4 months up to 36 months after enrollment. The primary outcome is malaria incidence in children aged 5 to 36 months over 12 months from enrollment.

This research aims to improve treatment for children with Burkitts Lymphoma across at least 14 Sub Saharan countries, some new to this type of study. It focuses on earlier evaluation of children with stage I and II disease and earlier assessment of treatment response to decide if changes are needed. It also intends to intensify treatment for children with stage IV disease. Starting in 2026, the study will assess adding rituximab to current treatments and compare results with earlier implementations in two specific centers. The study involves observing the ability of treatment centers to follow the established GFA LMB2019 protocol for Burkitts Lymphoma. In two units, an amendment adds four rituximab injections during induction treatment, given on day 1 and day 6 of each induction cycle, depending on the risk group and treatment regimen. Other centers will continue using the original GFA LMB2019 treatment protocol without rituximab. Participants will be monitored over five years to evaluate the number of cases diagnosed with local disease and by stage, the treatments given, follow-up after treatment, and relapse rates. The study will also assess how well therapeutic recommendations are applied. This long-term observation helps understand treatment outcomes and the impact of adding rituximab in selected centers.

This research aims to evaluate how well treatment units follow therapeutic recommendations for children diagnosed with Nephroblastoma, a type of kidney cancer. It builds on two previous studies by the French Africa Pediatric Oncology Group GFAOP and focuses on treatment compliance and outcomes for children receiving care. The study also seeks to assess improvements in treatment adherence and reporting to better tailor future treatment programs to local conditions. The study involves children with suspected Nephroblastoma who receive standard care while clinical data are collected. Researchers will gather information on the clinical stage, treatments given, any treatment-related side effects, outcomes after treatment, and follow-up care. This observational study does not involve experimental treatments but monitors how existing protocols are applied and their results over time. Participants will be followed for up to five years, during which data on disease stage at diagnosis, treatment details, and follow-up visits will be recorded. The primary outcomes include the number of cases with localized and advanced disease, treatment regimens used, and compliance with follow-up care. Secondary outcomes examine reasons for treatment failure. This long-term monitoring helps understand treatment effectiveness and areas for improvement in care delivery.

This research aims to improve outcomes for children with retinoblastoma, a type of eye cancer, particularly in low-income African countries where survival rates are lower compared to high-income countries. The study focuses on children with stage II disease and hopes that early diagnosis and timely treatment can greatly enhance survival. This is an observational study designed to collect and analyze data on disease stage, treatments used, and patient outcomes over time. The study follows therapeutic recommendations for treating children diagnosed with retinoblastoma. It observes how well these treatment protocols are implemented and whether they lead to better survival rates. The study does not involve administering experimental treatments but monitors the treatments given according to these recommendations. Participants will be monitored and followed for up to 10 years to assess various outcomes, including the number of retinoblastoma cases at participating hospitals, the number of cases at stage II disease, the feasibility of applying these therapeutic recommendations in the African setting, and treatment evaluations. Follow-up care and data collection will support understanding the effectiveness and practicality of early diagnosis and treatment in improving survival.