Kigali

This research aims to improve how appendicitis, a common emergency surgery condition, is managed worldwide by studying different emergency care systems. Appendicitis requires quick diagnosis and treatment to avoid complications. Using appendicitis as a marker, the study looks at access, quality, and efficiency across hospitals in various countries, including low- and middle-income regions, to find ways to enhance emergency surgical care. The study collects data from about 500 hospitals globally between February and May 2025, focusing on patients undergoing appendicectomy using any surgical method, including open, laparoscopic, or robotic approaches. Hospitals will record information for consecutive patients over 14-day periods. The study includes two sub-studies one on sustainability and waste management in operating rooms and another on the financial impact of surgery on patients, especially in resource-limited settings. Participants will have their care observed through routine health records without extra follow-up visits. Researchers will measure key factors such as time from symptoms to surgical assessment, rates of minimally invasive surgery, complications within 30 days, and hospital stay length. This data will help identify gaps and guide improvements in emergency surgical care worldwide, aiming to make treatment safer, faster, and more affordable.

Researchers are studying the safety and immune response of different dosing schedules and reduced doses of the RTS,SAS01E malaria vaccine in healthy children aged 5 to 60 months living in areas where malaria is common. This Phase 2a open-label randomized study aims to find the best vaccination regimen to protect young children against malaria, a serious infectious disease. The study is sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline and targets healthy children who have completed routine immunizations. Participants are randomly assigned to receive three doses of the RTS,SAS01E vaccine on one of three schedules Day 1, Month 1, and Month 2 Day 1, Month 1, and Month 7 or Day 1, Month 2, and Month 7. The vaccine is given as an injection into the muscle. The study follows participants for up to 19 months to compare immune responses and safety across these different dosing schedules. During the study, children will have blood tests at multiple time points to measure antibodies against malaria and hepatitis B, along with monitoring for any side effects following vaccination. Researchers will track any adverse events, including serious ones, for up to 19 months after the first dose. Parents or guardians will complete diaries and attend follow-up visits to help monitor health and vaccine effects throughout the study period.

Pregnancy is a crucial time to assess and manage cardiovascular health risks for both mothers and their children. Researchers are studying the use of the American Heart Associations Lifes Essential 8 as a new way to evaluate cardiovascular health in pregnant women. The goal is to better understand how this tool can be applied and to develop appropriate cardiovascular health standards during pregnancy. The study involves observing pregnant women aged 20 to 49 who conceived naturally and are carrying a single baby. Participants will complete questionnaires, undergo clinical follow-ups, and provide specimens for analysis. The research focuses on monitoring cardiovascular health throughout pregnancy to explore its impact on pregnancy outcomes. During the study, researchers will track maternal and newborn health outcomes up to 42 weeks of gestation. Participants will be involved in routine prenatal checkups and data collection to support the studys assessments. This observational study helps gather important information on cardiovascular health during pregnancy without altering the standard care process.

This research aims to evaluate oxygen delivery methods for adult patients with acute hypoxemia in resource-limited hospitals in low or lower middle income countries. The study specifically compares high flow oxygen with standard flow oxygen to determine which method leads to lower mortality and better patient outcomes in these settings. It also seeks to identify challenges and facilitators for using high flow oxygen and to measure oxygen consumption differences between the two methods. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups one receiving heated and humidified high flow oxygen delivered via nasal cannula at flows up to 60 liters per minute, and the other receiving standard flow oxygen through nasal cannula, face masks, or non-rebreather masks at flows up to 15 liters per minute. Both groups will follow protocols targeting oxygen saturation levels between 90 and 94. The study will take place in five hospitals and will monitor oxygen use and feasibility factors. During the study, participants will be monitored for in-hospital mortality up to 90 days, functional status, need for mechanical ventilation, duration of oxygen use, and lengths of hospital and ICU stay. Researchers will evaluate the time to any escalation of respiratory support. Data collection will include assessments of oxygen delivery, patient outcomes, and resource use, with the total observation period lasting 90 days after enrollment.

This research aims to find out if wearable sensors can help detect early signs of health problems after major surgery. The study focuses on surgical patients who might become critically ill after their operations. It evaluates if continuous monitoring of vital signs like heart rate and oxygen levels using wearable devices can identify patient deterioration sooner than standard care. The study is observational and involves multiple countries including Benin, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Rwanda, and the United Kingdom. Participants will wear wireless sensors on their chest and fingers before, during, and after surgery for up to 10 days. These sensors record vital signs continuously but do not affect patient care, as clinical teams will not access the data during the study. The first two stages of the study involved testing device usability with healthcare workers, while this third stage collects real-time sensor and clinical event data to explore links between physiological changes and patient complications. During the study, participants will have their vital signs monitored with wearable devices while also receiving standard clinical observations. Researchers will collect cardiovascular, respiratory, and temperature data alongside routine care information and clinical events. They will follow patients for 10 days of monitoring plus an additional 30-day follow-up to observe complications. The goal is to gather data to help design future algorithms for early detection of postoperative problems without changing current treatment practices.

This research aims to understand how national medical oxygen strategies work and achieve impact at both national and local levels across different countries. It focuses on health systems and policy contexts in six countries involved in the Medical Oxygen Implementation program. The study seeks to involve policymakers, implementers, and medical oxygen users to identify challenges and find potential solutions to improve access to medical oxygen. Researchers also aim to generate new data and draw lessons that can inform national and global policy and practice. The study uses a mixed-methods design with three embedded parts stakeholder analysis, policy-implementation gap analysis, and comparative country case studies. It involves interviews with key informants from government, NGOs, professional associations, private sector, and civil society. The study is conducted in six countries and will be adapted to each context through ongoing collaboration with stakeholders. The research will run for four years and includes annual meetings to refine study topics and methods. Participants will take part in in-depth interviews focusing on national medical oxygen strategies over the four-year study period. Researchers will review policies, analyze program data, and compare findings across countries. The study will monitor how strategies are translated into action and their effects on oxygen service coverage. This involves collecting qualitative and quantitative data to better understand the implementation and challenges of medical oxygen programs within different health systems.

Researchers are investigating Mpox, a disease with rising cases in Central and East Africa, caused by two virus strains with different characteristics and spread patterns. The study aims to develop new immune tests to estimate how many people have been exposed to Mpox or vaccinated, helping to prioritize vaccine use in affected communities. This outbreak is considered a public health emergency due to increasing cases and deaths, especially with limited testing in some regions. Participants are grouped by their exposure status those at risk but without symptoms, those recovered from Mpox or vaccinated, and those with no known exposure. The study uses diagnostic tests including an Mpox-specific antibody ELISA and a dried blood spot lateral flow assay to detect immune responses. All participants undergo the same testing procedures to assess their exposure or immunity status. During the study visit, participants provide biological samples for testing and complete surveys about their views on outbreak studies, immune diagnostic tools, and vaccine logistics. Researchers will measure Mpox-specific antibodies and evaluate rapid test accuracy. The study will also gather perspectives from healthcare workers and the public to support future vaccine strategies. The total participation involves sampling and questionnaires conducted on the first day.

Researchers are evaluating whether taking azithromycin as a preventive treatment can reduce the risk of death in adults with advanced HIV disease. This is a Phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving multiple centers. The study aims to understand if azithromycin prophylaxis can lower mortality compared to a placebo in this vulnerable population. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either an oral azithromycin tablet or a matching placebo tablet once daily for 28 days. After this treatment period, they will be followed for 24 weeks to measure the main outcome of all-cause mortality. The total study participation will last 48 weeks to monitor both short-term and longer-term effects. During the study, participants will undergo assessments to track survival and hospitalizations at 12 and 24 weeks after starting the treatment. Researchers will closely monitor health outcomes and any hospital stays to evaluate the impact of azithromycin prophylaxis. Safety and adherence will be followed throughout the trial to ensure accurate measurement of results.

Mental disorders are a major global health concern, especially in Rwanda where the long-lasting effects of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi continue to impact many families. About 20 of the Rwandan population has one or more mental disorders, with survivors of the genocide facing the highest rates. Researchers are studying a digital tool to enhance the delivery of Sugira Muryango, an evidence-based, trauma-informed, family-focused intervention designed to improve caregiver mental health and family functioning. The study compares two ways of delivering Sugira Muryango the usual care approach using paper forms and static data entry, and a new technology-supported method using a Digital Dashboard. This dashboard helps streamline data collection, improve program monitoring, facilitate social services referrals, and provide training resources for those delivering the intervention. Both methods include 12 core modules and two booster sessions at 3 and 6 months after the intervention. Participants will be primary caregivers to children aged birth to 36 months, along with government officials and interventionists involved in program delivery. The study measures outcomes such as intervention quality, caregiver and child mental health, family violence, and program fidelity over about four months. Researchers will also assess the feasibility, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness of the digital dashboard compared to standard delivery, including social network analysis of program staff interactions.

Researchers are conducting an observational multi-country cohort study to develop algorithms that identify children aged 5 to 16 years admitted with proven or suspected sepsis who are at risk of death after hospital discharge in East Africa. This study aims to improve post-discharge outcomes by expanding the Smart Discharges program, which predicts risks during hospitalization and offers additional support to at-risk children. The study also evaluates long-term health-related quality of life and gathers qualitative insights from children, caregivers, and health workers. The study includes three phases Phase I involves enrolling 4000 children aged 5 to 16 years, collecting clinical and social data during hospitalization, and following them by telephone at 2, 4, and 6 months post-discharge to develop risk prediction models for mortality. Phase II focuses on a subset of 500 children to assess health-related quality of life and functional status through caregiver interviews at admission and follow-ups up to 12 months post-discharge. Phase III uses focus groups and interviews to explore post-discharge experiences from the perspectives of caregivers, community health workers, and health professionals. Participants provide consent and contact information for follow-up. Data collection includes direct observation, telephone interviews, and surveys to monitor health status and outcomes up to 12 months after discharge. The primary outcome measured is post-discharge mortality within 6 months, with secondary outcomes including readmission rates. The study seeks to understand risk factors and improve care strategies in resource-limited settings over the course of participation.