Dakar

Researchers are working to reduce deaths from cervical cancer in Senegal by addressing barriers that prevent women from getting early screening, follow-up, and treatment. This study uses a combined research approach to adapt an evidence-based patient navigation program to both urban and rural areas in Senegal. The program aims to overcome challenges like stigma and misinformation around cancer and support women's autonomy in making healthcare decisions. The research will also help inform national cervical cancer prevention programs in Senegal and similar low- and middle-income countries. The study adapts the Chicago Chinatown Patient Navigation Program to fit the local contexts of Kedougou and Dakar regions. The process includes four phases: exploration, preparation, implementation, and sustainment. Patient navigators and community health workers will work with women to help them access cervical cancer screening and follow-up care by addressing personal and community barriers. The program will be tested in six clusters—three in each region—using a stepped-wedge randomized trial design. The study will also evaluate how well the program is implemented and sustained over time. Participants will be assessed through surveys and medical record reviews at baseline and every 12 months for up to 36 months. Researchers will measure how many women get screened for the first time, time to treatment for abnormal results, and experiences of barriers such as stigma and limited healthcare decision-making autonomy. The study will also evaluate the program's feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, reach, sustainability, and cost. Support from the research team will gradually decrease as local clusters gain experience in sustaining the navigation activities.

Researchers are collecting detailed information about children with cancer who are treated at pediatric oncology units in French-speaking Africa. This registry aims to provide accurate data on the number of cases, disease stage, treatments, and outcomes to help improve pediatric cancer care and support local and national health planning. The project focuses on children and adolescents under 18 years old diagnosed with any type of cancer. The data includes demographic and socioeconomic details along with clinical status and treatment results. Information on vital status, treatment abandonment, and loss to follow-up is also gathered. Data is entered locally into an online system called REDCap and securely stored by the IT department at Gustave ROUSSY in Paris-Villejuif. Participants are children under 18 who come to participating hospitals for cancer treatment. Researchers track the number of children suspected of having cancer, their health status, treatment progress, and survival over any 12-month period. This ongoing registry helps monitor outcomes and supports efforts to improve pediatric oncology services in the region.

Mycetoma is a neglected tropical disease that mainly affects poor populations and is linked to serious health problems. This research aims to collect and analyze past mycetoma cases identified in healthcare facilities in India and Senegal over a 10-year period. The study seeks to understand the number of cases diagnosed each year, trends over time, patient demographics, clinical features at diagnosis and follow-up, causes of mycetoma, and how it is typically managed and treated. The study involves reviewing medical, laboratory, and radiologic records of patients diagnosed with mycetoma. Data will be gathered on diagnosis methods, treatment types and durations including medical and surgical approaches, and patient outcomes. This retrospective observational study uses data extraction forms to compile detailed clinical and demographic information from existing records. Participants will be identified through their documented diagnosis of mycetoma in their health records. Researchers will assess diagnosis details, clinical progress, and treatment results over the 10-year span. The main outcome measured is the presence of mycetoma disease confirmed by patient diagnosis. The study focuses on gathering comprehensive information to help fill knowledge gaps that hinder future clinical trials for new treatments.

Researchers are evaluating whether using lung ultrasound can help doctors improve the treatment of lung infections in children aged 2 months to 12 years. Lung infections are the most common reason for children to visit clinics or hospitals, and current guidelines often lead to giving antibiotics to nearly all children with symptoms, although many infections are caused by viruses that do not require antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics can cause health problems for children and contribute to antibiotic resistance, which is a growing global concern. The study compares the use of portable lung ultrasound as a tool to better identify children who truly need antibiotics against the standard care approach that relies on clinical signs alone. Children who are very unwell or have already received more than 2 days of antibiotic treatment are not included. The ultrasound device is portable and designed to be used easily by healthcare workers, potentially improving diagnosis without extra costs or radiation exposure. Participants will be monitored to see how many children receive antibiotics on the first day and how many show clinical failure by day 8. The study involves assessments such as clinical exams and lung ultrasounds to guide treatment decisions. Researchers will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of using lung ultrasound to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use while maintaining good health outcomes for the children. Parents or caregivers will provide consent and receive information about the study before participation.

Researchers are evaluating whether improving the delivery of an essential package of child health and nutrition services can increase vitamin A supplementation and other child health service coverage in children under five years old in selected areas of Kenya and Senegal. The study also aims to understand how feasible the new delivery model is and what factors influence the coverage of these services. This study uses an implementation hybrid design to assess these outcomes over an 18-month period. The study involves two groups: one receiving an optimized package of child health and nutrition services delivered through routine primary health care contact points plus the current standard care, and the other receiving only the current standard care. The optimization model will be implemented over 12 months, with baseline and endline surveys collecting data from participants in both groups. Monthly visits to health facilities by the research team will monitor how well the implementation model is followed. Participants include children aged 12 to 59 months and their caregivers, as well as health service providers. Assessments will measure vitamin A supplementation coverage, measles immunization coverage, and the feasibility and fidelity of the new model's implementation. Data collection includes quantitative and qualitative methods such as surveys, interviews, and focus groups, conducted from enrollment through the end of the 12-month intervention period.

Stunting in young children, marked by reduced linear growth, affects millions worldwide and is linked to serious health problems including impaired development and increased disease risk. This condition is partly caused by Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED), which damages the gut lining and disrupts nutrient absorption. Researchers are investigating whether a known probiotic, Vivomixx, can improve gut health in pregnant women with EED, potentially reducing intestinal inflammation and epithelial damage that contribute to stunting. The trial compares the effects of the probiotic Vivomixx to a placebo in pregnant women living in the Guediawaye district of Senegal. Participants will receive either the probiotic or placebo, with gut samples collected using a special non-invasive device called CapScan® to analyze bacterial and host cells along the gastrointestinal tract. The study aims to see if the probiotic can decrease pathogenic bacteria, improve gut barrier function, and enhance nutrient absorption during pregnancy. During the study, researchers will monitor changes in inflammation and intestinal damage from screening (Day 0) through Day 56. They will assess colonization by harmful bacteria, gut microbiome structure and function, gut permeability, and metabolic changes in the women. Safety and efficacy will be evaluated through clinical assessments and laboratory analyses over the follow-up period to understand the probiotic's impact on maternal gut health and its potential role in preventing childhood stunting.

Researchers are evaluating treatment recommendations for children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), focusing on redefining risk criteria and introducing new induction and consolidation therapies for high-risk cases. This study, conducted by the GFAOP group, builds on previous work aimed at improving the prognosis of children with ALL in developing countries by using precise protocols and logistical support. The goal is to confirm the feasibility of these recommendations and achieve a complete remission rate close to 85% after induction treatment, with an expected 65% survival without relapse at 5 years. The study follows the LALGFA2019 recommendations, which include anthracycline induction for high-risk patients, such as those with leukocytosis greater than or equal to 50 G/L, children under 1 year old or over 10 years old, and the use of Endoxan and high-dose Methotrexate in consolidation therapy. The treatment is aimed at both standard and high-risk forms of ALL, with careful application of therapeutic protocols. Participants will be monitored for the feasibility and correct application of these treatment recommendations, with key outcome measures assessed at 5 weeks, 2 years, and 5 years. The study will track complete remission rates post-induction and long-term outcomes including survival without relapse. This comprehensive monitoring aims to evaluate both short-term treatment success and long-term patient outcomes over a five-year period.

Researchers are conducting the 4th Burkitt's Lymphoma (LMB) study led by the French African Pediatric Oncology Group (GFAOP) across at least 14 Sub-Saharan countries, including some new participants. The study aims to improve early diagnosis and treatment evaluation of children with Burkitt's lymphoma, focusing on earlier detection of stage I and II disease and assessing response so treatment changes can be made as needed. Additionally, the study seeks to intensify treatment for children with stage IV disease. Starting from March 15, 2026, rituximab will be introduced to evaluate its toxicity and effectiveness alongside current treatment recommendations. The intervention is observational, monitoring the ability of participating centers to treat according to the protocol and assess outcomes for children with stage I and II disease. The study will compare results with earlier experiences at two GFAOP units in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. Rituximab's addition will be prospectively evaluated in terms of safety and treatment response. Participants will be followed for five years to evaluate the number of cases with local disease, disease stage at diagnosis, treatments given, follow-up after treatment, and relapse rates. This long-term monitoring will help understand treatment effectiveness and outcomes in African children with Burkitt's lymphoma, supporting improved care strategies in the region.

Researchers are evaluating whether Remote Ischaemic Conditioning (RIC) can reduce death and early heart failure within 30 days in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Africa. This trial focuses on higher-risk patients treated mainly with thrombolytic therapy, across about 25 sites in seven African countries. The study includes a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and an observational arm for patients presenting later than 24 hours but less than 72 hours after symptom onset. Patients in the RCT are randomly assigned to either RIC or a sham control. RIC involves four cycles of 5-minute inflation of a cuff on the upper arm to 20 mmHg above systolic blood pressure followed by 5 minutes of deflation, repeated daily for 3 days starting before thrombolysis. The sham control uses a similar device inflated to a low pressure of 20 mmHg for the same schedule. The observational arm includes patients presenting between 24 and 72 hours after symptom onset and follows the same outcome measures. Participants undergo assessments including ECG, biomarkers, and echocardiography to confirm STEMI and monitor outcomes. The primary measure is a combined rate of all-cause death and new heart failure at 30 days after STEMI. The study also monitors safety and collects informed consent, aiming to provide a low-cost, non-invasive therapy to improve outcomes for high-risk STEMI patients in Africa.

This research aims to evaluate how well medical units follow treatment recommendations for children with nephroblastoma, a type of kidney cancer. It builds on results from two previous studies by the GFAOP and focuses on treatment compliance and outcomes in children receiving care. The study also seeks to improve how treatment adherence and reporting are monitored to better support future treatment programs adapted to local conditions. The study involves collecting data on clinical disease stage, treatments given, and any observed side effects. Researchers will track treatment outcomes and follow-up care for participating children. This data collection helps assess whether units are meeting protocol recommendations and identifies areas for improvement. Participants will be monitored over a period of five years to evaluate the number of cases with local disease and advanced stage IV disease. Treatment methods and follow-up care will also be reviewed throughout this time. These long-term evaluations aim to understand treatment effectiveness and adherence over time in children aged six months to 18 years.