HAT MEPP News

Supporting National Programmes Through Collaborative Workshops

Over the past two years, HAT MEPP meetings and workshops have been held in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire and the USA, bringing together national programme representatives, researchers, funders and global health partners.

Cameroon

In September 2024, the team travelled to Yaoundé for a series of workshops with colleagues from the Cameroon National HAT Programme (PNLTHA), the Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), FIND and LSTM. Discussions focused on the Cameroonian HAT context and how mathematical modelling and health economics can support programme planning and decision-making.

The visit also provided an opportunity to work closely with representatives from the Chad National HAT Programme (PNLTHA-Chad), reviewing ongoing analyses and progressing publication activities related to HAT elimination efforts.

In February 2026, the team returned to Yaoundé to present updated model-fitting results, future projections and plans for health economic analyses. The workshop brought together representatives from the National HAT Programme, CRID and the Ministry of Health, providing valuable opportunities to review current data, discuss programme priorities and plan future activities.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The DRC remained a major focus of engagement during the reporting period. In January 2025, approximately 50 participants from the National HAT Control Programme (PNLTHA-DRC) and the National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) attended a HAT MEPP workshop in Kinshasa.

Building on this collaboration, the team attended the National HAT Day in Matadi alongside an additional workshop in Kinshasa with PNLTHA-DRC in February 2026 to gather stakeholder feedback on enhancements to the HAT MEPP graphical user interface (GUI), including the integration of a Large Language Model (LLM) prototype. Discussions also explored the wider impact of the project and opportunities for future development.

Guinea

In October 2025, the HAT MEPP team met with colleagues from the Guinea National Programme (PNLMTN) and IRD in Dubréka. The workshop focused on progressing key scientific outputs, including joint model-fitting analyses, counterfactual scenario publications and the development of a joint health economics manuscript.

Building Capacity in Modelling and Health Economics

A key priority for the team has been strengthening local expertise in modelling and health economics.

Between May and July 2026, the University of Warwick hosted a modelling and health economics training programme funded through the BBSRC FTMA initiative. Participants included Jacob Lyaki (INRB, DRC) and Rodrigue Konan (Université Pierre-Richet/PNETHA), who attended in person, alongside Mamady Camara (PNLMTN, Guinea), who joined remotely.

The training aimed to enhance analytical capacity within African partner institutions and support the development of sustainable expertise in modelling and economic evaluation.

Côte d'Ivoire

In June 2024, the HAT MEPP team travelled to Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire, to engage with the national programme (PNETHA) and research partners (IRD) working on HAT. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss ongoing modelling activities, review available data, strengthen collaborative relationships and work on upcoming joint publications.

International Engagement and Scientific Dissemination

The HAT MEPP team was also represented at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Annual Meeting in New Orleans in November 2024.

As part of the symposium "Will HAT be the next neglected tropical disease to achieve global elimination?", invited speakers included representatives from WHO, DNDi, the Gates Foundation, PNLTHA-DRC, LSTM and HAT MEPP. The symposium provided a valuable platform to discuss progress towards HAT elimination and the role of evidence-based decision-making in supporting national and global strategies.

Alongside ASTMH, a dedicated HAT MEPP workshop brought together representatives from WHO, DNDi, the Gates Foundation, PNLTHA-DRC and LSTM to discuss ongoing work and future priorities.

Hosting International Visitors

In October 2024, the University of Warwick welcomed the Director of the Chad National HAT Programme, Dr Mahamat Saleh, for a week of discussions focused on modelling analyses, interpretation of results and preparation of scientific publications. The visit provided an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration and align future research activities with programme priorities.

Looking Ahead

These activities highlight the breadth of HAT MEPP's collaborative work. By combining modelling, health economics, stakeholder engagement and capacity strengthening, the programme continues to support national HAT programmes and partners in generating evidence to inform decision-making and sustain progress towards elimination.