By: Leah Kanyangi, Florence Onyango
The African Research and Impact Network (ARIN) played a key role in the recent inaugural meeting of the African Population Cohort Consortium (APCC), held in Cape Town, South Africa, from May 27-28, 2024. Dr. Joanes Atela, ARIN’s Executive Director, actively participated in discussions and presentations focusing on stakeholder and participant engagement, a critical aspect of the APCC’s success.
The APCC is a collaborative effort aimed at establishing a network of large, longitudinal population cohorts across Africa. This initiative holds immense potential for advancing research on population health and wellbeing, climate change impacts, and the effectiveness of universal health coverage across the continent.
Dr. Atela, along with Dr. Maame Peterson from The African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), co-chaired a breakout session on stakeholder and participant engagement. This session explored strategies for ensuring the active involvement of various stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, communities, and funders, throughout the APCC’s development and implementation.
“Meaningful stakeholder engagement is crucial for the success of the APCC,” emphasized Dr. Atela. “By incorporating the diverse perspectives and needs of all stakeholders, the APCC can ensure its research agenda is relevant, its findings are widely disseminated, and its impact is maximized.”
The APCC meeting brought together leading researchers, policymakers, and funders from across Africa. Through a series of plenary sessions and breakout discussions, participants explored the APCC’s blueprint, identified potential collaborative research areas, and charted a path forward for the consortium.
The successful launch of the APCC paves the way for a more comprehensive understanding of population health in Africa. ARIN, through its expertise in stakeholder engagement and research capacity building, remains committed to supporting the APCC’s efforts and ensuring its positive impact on the continent.
