Project Report
| Jun 1, 2012
Ongoing study despite political crisis in Mali
By Mali Rochas | Executive Director
The second phase of our study - evaluation of the prevalence of HPV subtypes associated with cervical cancer - is ongoing and we are still recruiting women diagnosed with cervical cancer. To date a total of 127 patients have been enrolled; tissue and serum are being collected. In February 2012 the serum samples were shipped to the US to get tested.
As you know, Mali is currently facing a political crisis. On March 21st, 2012 renegade soldiers from the Malian military launched a coup d’état and attacked several locations in the capital city of Bamako. Our staff reported that the flow of activities at the hospital and in the lab slowed down but the study was able to continue without interruption.
In light of this recent political instability, we are trying to secure funds to ensure our programs are not interrupted.
Thank you all for your support!
Feb 13, 2012
What's next? Lab work!
By Mali Rochas | Executive Director
We are very happy to report that our study is making great progress!
As mentioned in our last update, the GAIA Vaccine Foundation did a pilot study in Sikoro, Mali West Africa. 50 interviews were completed. We recently completed the creation of a database and did data entry and analysis for this pilot. The full KAP/WTP study was entirely completed in May-June 2011 and 100% of the subjects were enrolled. The database for the full study (300 subjects) is built and is currently being reviewed by one of our consultant. Data entry will start next month!
As for the prevalence study, the remaining medical and lab supplies were brought to Mali in September 2011.The founder and scientific director of GAIA VF was recently in Mali to review progress. 80 patients have been enrolled to date and lab work is ongoing. There is a lot to do and we will probably be able to gather data by the end of March 2012.
Thank you for your support!
Oct 11, 2011
Phase 1 completed!
By Mali Rochas | Executive Director
As mentioned in our previous report the GAIA Vaccine Foundation performed a Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) pilot study - March 2011 - in conjunction with a willingness to participate (WTP) in a vaccine trial evaluation. This HPV study had two aims: 1) To understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to HPV infection, associated disease (cervical cancer), and prevention (vaccines) among Malians, and 2) To understand Malians' willingness to participate (WTP) in an HPV vaccine trial.
Following this pilot a major KAP-WTP study including 300 participants was conducted in May 2011 in Sikoro and Djikoro. Data analysis will allow us to put in place an education program focusing on HPV and cervical cancer, train our personnel and elaborate on an appropriate approach for establishing such a vaccine trial.
The second phase of our study includes an evaluation of the prevalence of HPV subtypes associated with cervical cancer. We are currently recruiting women diagnosed with cervical cancer within the OBGYN department of Hôpital Touré one of the major hospital located in Bamako. We hope that validating the types of HPV associated with cervical cancer will allow us to prepare a proposal for a clinical study in preparation for an HPV vaccine trial.
We plan to develop necessary protocols, put an infrastructure in place, and re-train medical personnel. This step is necessary not only for this study, but also for preparing for a vaccine trial (if possible). The goal is to lay the groundwork for all clinical studies to come, and to improve the conditions of vaccine research in Mali.