MITU recently organized a highly successful scientific symposium with the theme “Health of Adolescents and Young People in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and Solutions”. The symposium was held on 27-29 November 2018 in Mwanza city, NW Tanzania. The symposium was part of the celebrations to mark the 10th anniversary of MITU, one of the main LSHTM research partnerships in Africa, and a product of a long-standing research collaboration with the Tanzanian National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR).
The symposium was attended by scientists from Tanzania (58), other African countries (36), Europe (23) and the United States (1). Participants included strong representation from other LSHTM-related partnerships in Africa, including the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit in Uganda, Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU) in Malawi, and Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI) in Zimbabwe, Zambia AIDS Related Tuberculosis (ZAMBART) Project in Zambia, and other key collaborators from South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.
During the symposium, there were keynote presentations reviewing key areas of the health of adolescents and young people (AYP) in Africa, as well as shorter talks and discussion of research gaps, future directions and methodological approaches. Important areas of AYP health addressed included HIV and sexual health; mental health; non-communicable diseases; cognitive development and risk taking; and development and evaluation of interventions. The presentations also showcased research conducted by MITU on adolescent health. This included a special poster session which was well attended by participants during the first two days of the meeting. A special journal supplement showcasing major presentations during the symposium will be published.
We look forward to continuing growth in our research and impact during the next ten years!
