KEMRI becomes the first African Institute to Join the Global Dengue Alliance

By Stella Njung’e

The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has been accepted as the first institutional member from Africa in the Global Dengue Alliance since its inception in 2022, marking a significant milestone for the Institute and Africa’s contribution to global dengue research.

A milestone that positions KEMRI within a global network of institutions working to address critical gaps in dengue research, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, while strengthening collaboration among researchers in dengue-endemic countries.

The Dengue Alliance is a global partnership led by institutions from dengue-endemic countries. The Alliance seeks to accelerate the development of safe, effective, affordable and accessible treatments for dengue, while supporting clinical research, and advocating for prevention and treatment of dengue.

For KEMRI, this milestone provides an opportunity for the Institute to build on its research expertise in dengue and other arboviral diseases and contribute evidence from the African context to a global research agenda.

The Institute will be represented on this global stage by Ag. Director Research and Development, Dr. Erick Muok, Ag. Deputy Director Sport Science Research Centre (SSCC), Dr. Steve Wandiga, and Principal Research Scientist, Dr. Fredrick Eyase with other members expected to be onboarded as next steps become clearer.

 Dr. Wandiga described the admission as a significant milestone for the Institute and recognition of the quality and relevance of its research. “This is a significant milestone for KEMRI and a strong recognition of the quality, relevance and contribution of our research on dengue and other arboviral diseases,” Dr. Wandiga.

On his part, Dr. Erick Mouk expressed his enthusiasm in joining the alliance, “We are highly excited about this opportunity. The Alliance provides an important platform for KEMRI and Africa to contribute to global research, prevention, diagnostics, clinical management and policy discussions on dengue. This is in line with our mission as an Institute and our commitment to ensuring that our communities are healthy.”

Dengue is a rapidly growing mosquito-borne viral disease and is increasingly recognised as a global public health concern. The Dengue Alliance notes that an estimated 390 million dengue infections occur each year across more than 100 countries, with growing incidence in several regions beyond Asia. Despite the scale of the disease, there remains no specific antiviral treatment for dengue.

The Alliance is therefore focused on advancing research into potential treatments, including repurposed medicines and novel antiviral candidates, while building research capacity in countries affected by the disease. Its work also encompasses epidemiology, diagnostics, clinical trials, regulatory pathways and access to potential treatments.

The Institute’s entry into the Alliance comes at a time when strengthening Africa’s contribution to dengue research is increasingly important. Evidence on dengue epidemiology in Africa remains limited, creating a need for locally generated data to better understand transmission patterns, disease burden, clinical presentation and health-system needs.

The collaboration will also provide opportunities for KEMRI scientists to partner international researchers and institutions, share expertise and strengthen partnerships in dengue research and development

The Alliance has previously supported work ranging from epidemiological studies and laboratory capacity strengthening to pre-clinical research and clinical trial preparation. In recent years, its partners have also advanced collaborations around potential antiviral treatments and monoclonal antibody approaches.

Congratulating the team on the achievement, KEMRI Vice Chancellor & CEO, Prof. Elijah Songok, commended the team in securing the Institute’s membership in the Global Dengue Alliance, noting that the recognition reflects KEMRI’s growing contribution to addressing global health challenges.

“I congratulate the team for this important achievement and for positioning KEMRI as a key contributor to the global dengue research agenda. Being the first institutional member from Africa since the Alliance’s inception is a significant recognition of the quality and relevance of our work. I encourage the team to make the most of this platform to strengthen collaborations, share African evidence and contribute to research that can ultimately improve the prevention, diagnosis and management of dengue,” said Prof. Songok

We congratulate the team on this milestone!