Institute’s R&D Director Concludes Fact Finding Coastal Region Tour

By Stella Njung’e

With a firm handshake at every stop and a keen eye on the future of science, KEMRI’s Acting Director of Research and Development, Dr. Erick Muok, wrapped up a weeklong tour of the Institute’s Coastal stations determined to strengthen research impact and energize institutional collaboration across the region.

Dr. Muok’s visit, which covered all stations within the region starting from the border station in Taita Taveta and ending at the KEMRI Clinical Trials Unit in Mtwapa, sought to deepen understanding of ongoing scientific work and identify areas requiring strategic support. He engaged station leadership and scientific teams to discuss current research priorities, operational challenges, and emerging health concerns affecting coastal communities.

During the visit, Dr. Muok was briefed on active research activities, assessed infrastructure needs, and explored opportunities to reinforce collaboration across programmes. The discussions with the various teams highlighted both progress and areas that require targeted interventions to enhance efficiency and impact.

Speaking at the end of the visit, Dr. Muok underscored the critical role the Coastal region plays in KEMRI’s national research agenda. “The work being done here is central to KEMRI’s mandate,” he said. “This mission has provided a clear picture of the strengths within our stations and the strategic investments needed to support teams on the ground. Strengthening these stations strengthens our national capacity to respond to evolving public health challenges.”

The coastal region visits provided valuable insights into the region’s priorities, challenges the centres are facing, and emerging research opportunities. These findings will guide strategic interventions to streamline research operations, enhance inter-station coordination, and reinforce the Institute’s commitment to evidence-driven health improvement.

At the Taita Taveta Station, Dr. Muok was received by Dr. Edward Githinji; in Kwale, by Dr. Athman Chiguzo; in Malindi and Kilifi, by Dr. Sophie Uyoga and Elijah Mwenda; and in Mtwapa, by Dr. Rael Too, alongside Dr. Joseph Mwangangi and Dr. Carolyne Ndila.

During the engagements, station leaders underscored the need for stronger collaboration between centres within the Coastal region to broaden the research base, share expertise, and collectively address common challenges affecting scientific operations.

Speaking on behalf of the Taita Taveta Station, Dr. Edward Githinji expressed gratitude for the visit, noting that it renewed confidence among teams working in the region.

“We truly appreciate this visit,” he said. “It gives us hope that some of the longstanding challenges affecting our work will be addressed. Strengthening collaboration between our centres will allow us to achieve much more for the communities we serve.”

This sentiment was echoed across all the stations, where staff expressed optimism that the opportunity presented by the visit and enhanced regional coordination would help unlock greater efficiency, improve resource sharing, and accelerate the translation of research into public health impact.

The visit formed part of the broader institutional strategy aimed at enhancing coordination, improving service delivery, and aligning work with national health priorities.