Amsterdam 2015
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| Abstract #2170 - Poster 1 | ||||
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Session: 58.18: Poster 1 (Poster) on Tuesday in Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Mr George Victor Owino - International AIDS Vaccine Initiate (IAVI), Kenya |
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| Additional Authors: Dr Kouassi Martin, Mr Brou Sylvain, | ||||
| Aim: To inform researchers and policy makers on the need and benefits of ensuring meaningful community engagement and ownership in research processes, particularly with men who have sex with men (MSM) and LGBT/Q communities. | ||||
| Method / Issue: The increased focus on HIV research involving MSM and Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Queer (LGBQ - the term Q refers to Transgender and gender non-conforming individuals) communities has highlighted a fundamental need to ensure their meaningful engagement and ownership in research | ||||
| Results / Comments: Project: The Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK) - the national LGBQ umbrella organization, the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP) and supporting partners UHAI, amfAR and IAVI implemented a research preparedness plan that included a two-day training workshop on research, that brought together key MSM/LGBT advocates, leaders and programmers from various community groups in Kenya. Participants learned about research concepts and processes, shared positive and negative experiences working with researchers, developed a community unified research agenda and formed a nationally representative National LGBT Research Advisory Committee (G10) led by 2 co-chairs. Shortly thereafter, NASCOP and the G10 through GALCK co-convened the first ever consultative forum on strengthening research partnership with MSM/LGBQ community in Kenya that brought together the G10, key social and biomedical researchers, government officials and funders. The need to include the MSM/LGBQ in all research processes from conceptualization through to dissemination of study findings including co-authorship was a key theme in the forum. Forum participants collaboratively revised the tabled community unified research agenda into a national research agenda comprised of 2 priority questions and 3 reserve questions under each of the biomedical, structural and behavioral components. A mechanism to ensure the implementation of this agenda was also identified. As an agency within GALCK, the G10 coordinates all MSM/LGBQ research in Kenya on behalf of the community. Many research groups responded swiftly to ensure alignment with the recommendations of the consultative forum and nationally endorsed research agenda. For instance, the Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative – Institute of Clinical Research (KAVI-ICR) convened a one-day consultation with the G10 and existing MSM and Sex Workers Community Advisory Boards (CABs) to provide input on a Simulated Vaccine Efficacy Trial (SiVET - is a double-blind, randomized placebo controlled trial using a licensed Hepatitis B vaccine) protocol prior to its submission to the ethical review committee. In addition the Kenya Medical Research Institute – Center for Geographic Medicine Research (KEMRI-CGMRC) partnered with all the members of a sub-set of the G10 specific to Coastal Kenya “ Utafiti Pwani” and co-authored a paper that was published in a KEMRI Bioethics Review IV issue 3-2014 – titled Collaborating with GMT organizations on HIV Prevention and Care Research in Coastal Kenya. Three unique implementation science research proposals were also developed and submitted to amfAR with the community as co-investigators as a result of this process. | ||||
| Discussion: Lessons Learned: Sustained implementation and strengthening of this community engagement model ensures strong buy-in and commitment at the grassroots, in turn informing changes in research-related policy and practice at the county and national level. | ||||
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