Community Engagement

Currently research is moving from a purely researchers’ business to something that needs to be owned by all stakeholders with an ultimate goal of enabling quick translation of research findings. MLI’s community engagement arm was established in 2017 at the inception of the STREAM trial which is an international multi-country clinical trial on multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB). Community engagement involves partnerships and coalitions that help mobilize resources to influence systems and serve as a catalyst for change in policy, programs and practices. The community engagement arm has regular interface with different communities including patients, their caretakers, policy makers and front-line healthcare workers among others.

The interface between the Lung Institute and the community is majorly done through the institute’s Community Advisory Board (CAB). The CAB provides a platform to work collaboratively with and through groups of people affiliated to lung health on various issues. The CAB is comprised of members of the community from various walks of life including religious leaders, health care workers, former TB patients and local leaders. The current CAB is comprised of a team of 11 volunteers coordinated by Dr. Ivan Kimuli.

CAB members develop and implement an annual work plan that includes activities such as stakeholder engagement meetings and community sensitization.

Community Advisory Board (CAB) Members at a Webinar

23, November 2018