ICARS in Nairobi to strengthen AMR priorities, diagnostics and regional collaboration

In late November, a delegation from ICARS travelled to Nairobi, Kenya, to participate in the ASLM convention, host a regional stakeholder engagement workshop, and hold bilateral meetings with other key regional partners based in Kenya. The visit formed part of ICARS’ broader effort to strengthen collaboration with African institutions and support countries in addressing AMR through implementation research and evidence-based interventions. 

The African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) Special Convention on Diagnostics 

From 25–27 November, ICARS joined policymakers, laboratory experts, global health leaders, industry innovators, and partner organisations at the ASLM Special Convention on Diagnostics. This year’s theme focused on accelerating diagnostic innovation and strengthening collaboration to combat AMR and improve health security across Africa. ICARS contributed to the convention through opening remarks, plenary and breakout sessions, and participated as moderators and panellists in plenary sessions. ICARS staff highlighted the value of the ICARS approach, supporting low- and middle-income countries to lead AMR mitigation efforts through implementation research.  

The Convention also enabled ICARS to engage and network with ministries, academic institutions, organisations and regional partners sparking productive conversations about potential future collaborations. ICARS was also honoured to receive the ASLM Convention partner award during the closing ceremony. 

Regional AMR stakeholders’ engagement and prioritisation workshop 

Following the convention, ICARS hosted a two-day regional workshop on 28–29 November, bringing together government representatives across human, animal and environment sectors, national AMR focal points, and experts from public health institutes.  

During the workshop, the principal investigator of the ICARS Kenya dairy project presented the project and components of the baseline study, demonstrating the value of a multi-disciplinary One Health approach to AMR interventions. Participants were also introduced to the ‘Strengthening AMR solutions in Africa’ initiative (co-funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and engaged in collaborative discussions to: 

• Identify and prioritise AMR challenges across One Health sectors 

• Link these priorities to potential baseline studies 

• Map key stakeholders to enhance regional coordination 

Participants expressed their appreciation of the problem tree analysis and stakeholder mapping processes, which helped them better understand the root causes of AMR challenges and identify realistic, locally appropriate interventions.   

By the end of the workshop, countries developed a shared understanding of ICARS’ baseline study methodology, produced ranked AMR challenge lists and stakeholder maps, and outlined proposed areas for future collaboration. Participants expressed enthusiasm for translating their workshop outputs into an Expression of Interest for ICARS upcoming calls for submissions. 

Bilateral meetings 

The trip to Nairobi also provided an opportunity to engage with existing and prospective partners through in-person discussions focused on future collaborative activities. This included a visit to the Amref University campus to gain a deeper understanding of the institution’s structure and governance, and to explore areas of thematic alignment and complementary strengths that could inform a potential partnership. In addition, ICARS’ Executive Director and Director of Operations visited the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to discuss ways to build on the recently completed Centre of Excellence project and identify further opportunities to strengthen collaboration.  

Looking Ahead 

ICARS is encouraged by the strong engagement and interest demonstrated during the visit. The discussions and partnerships initiated during the ASLM Convention, regional workshop, and bilateral meetings provide a good platform for activities and further collaboration in Africa as countries move toward developing baseline studies and potential implementation research projects. 

ICARS looks forward to continuing the conversations sparked in Nairobi and will share additional developments as these ideas progress into concrete collaborations.