{"id":5364,"date":"2026-09-07T11:52:42","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T09:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ucrc-mali.com\/?p=5364"},"modified":"2026-09-07T12:39:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T10:39:50","slug":"site-initiation-visit-svi-of-sc-gra-trained-teams-ready-for-field-deployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ucrc-mali.com\/?p=5364","title":{"rendered":"Site initiation visit (SVI) of SC-GRA: Trained teams ready for field deployment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The site initiation visit (SVI) for the strengthen clinical and genomic research capacity on arboviruses (\u201cSC-GRA\u201d) project, began on August 24, 2026, starting with Mali. This activity, which takes place in both in-person and virtual formats, is continuing with the other member countries of the consortium. This initiative aims to harmonize protocol implementation procedures across the member countries, in strict compliance with ethics and applicable regulations. VIDEO<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This training is intended for different sites. It ensures that the research team and everyone involved share a common understanding of the protocol, procedures, and tasks that will be assigned to them,” informed Dr. Mountaga Diallo, Head of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This session also aimed to familiarize teams with clinical, laboratory, and data collection procedures to ensure perfect alignment in the execution of the study. This orientation activity mobilizes more than 70 key actors, including clinicians, biologists, data managers, and community engagement specialists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the first session, participants stated they had fully grasped the overall process, from the reception and orientation of participants to recruitment and sample collection, all conducted via informed consent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Thanks to this training, we have acquired the good practices to adopt when recruiting participants. In any research involving human beings, it is paramount to respect a certain number of ethical principles, starting with the person’s physical integrity. Without their free and informed consent, they can under no circumstances be included in the study<\/em>,” declared Dr. Abdoulaye Daou, Clinician-Researcher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This training was particularly enriching, noted Kany Agathe Coulibaly, a nurse and member of the regulation and ethics team. “Personally, it taught me how to interact correctly with participants, particularly by ensuring respect for ethical rules, informed consent, and their psychological preparation before sample collections. My work demands rigorous preparation and strict adherence to standards: it is about minimizing contamination risks when facing a symptomatic participant while protecting everyone against any infection<\/em>,” she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clear understanding of these guidelines will guarantee quality and rigor in conducting field activities. In addition to structuring the delegation of tasks, this training will mark a decisive milestone, specifically launching the operational phase of the project at sites in Mali, Guinea, C\u00f4te d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SC-GRA\/WACCREP Communication Office<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n