The launch took place on Sunday 1 December 2024 at the Rainbow Towers Hotel & Conference Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe. Around 15 participants attended, both in person and virtually, to discuss the project's four interlinked work packages; epidemiology, implementation of strategies to reduce childhood injuries, economic analyses, and a paediatric trauma Echo programme.
The project team, led by Professor Kokila Lakhoo from the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, were introduced to the four doctoral candidates who have been successfully and competitively selected. From Zimbabwe, Dr Wilfred Muteweye will be undertaking a PhD in Work Package 2 (strategies to reduce childhood injuries) and Dr Naboth Matinhira in Work Package 3 (economic analyses), while from Tanzania, Dr Alphonce Simbila will be undertaking a PhD in Work Package 1 (epidemiology) and Dr Mohamed Salim in Work Package 4 (paediatric trauma programme).
The session concluded with networking opportunities and a steering committee meeting that clarified supervision frameworks for doctoral candidates and data collectors, and underscored the importance of embedding research directly into clinical services.
Read more about the project, 'Reducing childhood mortality and morbidity from injuries in Tanzania and Zimbabwe', on the NIHR website.
Read the story on the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences website.