Siyakhula: Growing HIV/TB Research Knowledge for Growing Healthy Kids in Eswatini

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Program Summary/Abstract In collaboration with the University of Eswatini, the Eswatini Ministry of Health (including national HIV and TB programs), and Stanford Unversity, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) will conduct training in HIV/AIDS research methods with a focus on pediatrics and Tuberculosis (TB) co-morbidity while considering the imminent threat of climate change on children's health. Other key partners include The University of Texas School of Public Health (UTHealth SPH) who will support and mentor long-term trainees during Public Health Masters and Doctoral level studies. Our existing collaborative HIV/TB training program (Siyakhula) trains i) three doctoral candidates to become Independent Investigators in clinical and translational research focusing on HIV/TB in pediatric (infants, children, adolescents) populations, and ii) two in-country cohorts of public health trainees to become Associate Investigators in child health research. The training capitalizes on a novel Eswatini-US dual mentoring strategy to ensure retention, success, and relevance of research conducted by US-based long-term Siyakhula Scholars. Long-term Siyakhula Scholars enroll in UTHealth SPH to earn a PhD or DrPH and conduct thesis activities in Eswatini engaging in-country Siyakhula Scholars and mentors. We employ a "teach-back" approach in which the long-term trainees participate in Eswatini-based training forums to develop teaching skills and strengthen partnerships with in-country scholars. Our overarching goal is to strengthen clinical research capacity in Eswatini while simultaneously producing high-quality researchers who will successfully transition to independence, obtain independent funding and lead national efforts to end the HIV/TB epidemic while now considering the impact of climate change on health. Climate change is the crisis of our time. However, training of health practitioners and tomorrow's scientists has virtually missing from the climate change agenda; particularly for child health and resource constrained setting where the impact is predicted to be greatest. Our innovative supplemental curriculum i) highlights the interconnectedness of child health and climate change, ii) seeks to train local scientists, clinicians, and public health professionals within a burgeoning African research training program, iii) supports local investigator driven research to identify climate change levers that are most impactful for Emaswati, iv) establishes monitoring of core climate metrics, and iv) promises to bring about measurable change regarding climate change as a key driver of human health in Eswatini. Our collaborative approach is driven by local research priorities ensuring integration of climate change and health within the national research strategy to provide sustainable impact.