Building science expertise from the ground up in Ethiopia
Zoe Zeliku first went to Ethiopia in 2010, as a GSK volunteer working at the Centre for National Health Development in Addis Ababa. Now she is returning, to share her expertise and enthusiasm for analytical chemistry.
Now a manager at GSK, she is going to Ethiopia to help deliver the latest in a series of workshops in the practical application of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), being run under a new five-year partnership between GSK and the 欧美AV鈥檚 Pan Africa Chemistry Network (PACN).
The training programme began in Kenya, but thanks to the partnership it is now being rolled out across Ghana, Ethiopia and Nigeria. This week鈥檚 workshop is taking place at Addis Ababa University from 3鈥�7 October 鈥� the first time this training is being run in Ethiopia.
"I鈥檝e always enjoyed training people, and my background is analytical chemistry鈥�, says Zoe. "This training is crucial in Ethiopia and other African countries, because analytical chemistry is quite specialised and quite practical, and it鈥檚 different sitting and reading a textbook, and having lectures, to actually getting involved and handling the instrument."
"The economy is growing and there鈥檚 more manufacturing, so it鈥檚 important that the scientists in the country themselves have the expertise. Not only will the training help with their research, but if they鈥檙e going to start manufacturing their own medicine then it will be beneficial to have analytically trained scientists to back up the quality control process."
Training local researchers to train others
Professor Anthony Gachanja, , Dr Mathias Schaefer, from the University of Cologne, and Zoe, will be facilitating the workshops this week.
In addition two local Ethiopian researchers, one from Addis Ababa University and one from Bahir Dar University, have volunteered to be trainers, and are attending the workshop to gain experience.
Dr Yonas Chebude, Associate Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Addis Ababa, who is hosting the workshop, explains how this makes the scheme unique. "After the completion of the scheme, these trainee trainers are expected to run their own training programs, passing on their skills to colleagues and students in other universities and institutions in Ethiopia," he says.
By training local chemists to train others, the scheme aims to leave a self-sustaining programme and lasting legacy in African science, building a network of in-country expertise and potential for sharing knowledge between countries.
A chance to gets hands-on
The Ethiopia course has proved hugely popular, attracting 163 applications from 17 different countries, from researchers at all levels of academia. Of these a local committee and a trainer from GSK have selected 15 delegates who they feel could most benefit from the scheme. As well as attendees from Ethiopia, delegates are travelling across Africa to attend, from Tanzania, Uganda, South African and Sudan.
Dr Helen Driver, Senior Programme Manager, Africa, at the 欧美AV, who manages the programme, is also travelling to Ethiopia to attend the workshop. She says she鈥檚 most looking forward to seeing the participants get hands-on with the GC-MS machine. "The real advantage of this course is that the trainees get the opportunity to take the instrument apart and put it back together", says Helen.
"This course will really give participants the confidence to do that. It鈥檚 important to not be afraid of the equipment. When they return to their institutions they will be able to use their new-found knowledge to maintain the instruments themselves, instead of relying on help from elsewhere."
Follow on Twitter for updates throughout the week and watch this space for photos and stories from the workshop early next week.
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