HIS : Training Tanzanian Researchers for HIV/AIDS Implementation Science (Renewal)

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Project Summary/Abstract: Tanzania is one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa that is severely affected by the HIV epidemic. Tanzania faces an unfinished HIV testing, treatment, and viral suppression agenda because of implementation gaps, particularly in children, adolescents, and young adults. Tanzania is also in the early stages of evaluating strategies to integrate screening, prevention, and care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) into care for people living with HIV. The long-term success of HIV care and treatment programs and achievement of HIV targets in Tanzania can be ensured and improved through this “Training Tanzanian Researchers for HIV/AIDS Implementation Science” training program, a renewal application and joint initiative by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH) in Boston and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Dar es Salaam. The Harvard-MUHAS collaboration has built strength in three main HIV research areas: (1) public health interventions and Impact Evaluation; (2) implementation research in programmatic HIV care and treatment services; and (3) research training. During the first five years, the HIV Implementation Science training program met or exceeded each of its training aims which included the launch of a new Master of Public Health in Implementation Science at MUHAS. For this renewal, the training program will focus on HIV implementation research related to three new priority research areas identified through discussions with Tanzanian policymakers and HIV program implementers, including: (i) HIV-affected children (including children living with HIV and HIV-exposed uninfected children), (ii) Adolescent HIV, and (iii) HIV, nutrition, and NCDs. The program aims to (1) train a critical mass of mid-level and senior researchers to work as principal investigators leading independent research programs focused on implementation science questions and teach implementation science research methods at the doctoral-level; (2) Build a critical mass of junior public health and medical professionals who can design and successfully carry out rigorous research projects in HIV Implementation Science, Impact Evaluation, and Health Systems Research; and (3) Extend the pipeline of HIV Implementation Science researchers by developing a new PhD program in Implementation Science at MUHAS. At the heart of this training program are five strategies both in Boston and in Dar es Salaam that will achieve these specific aims, including: training 5 Postdoctoral Fellows, 15 Masters Fellows, 5 Doctoral Fellows, offer 12 short courses in Dar es Salaam that will reach ~500 learners, and hold 5 annual MUHAS-Harvard symposia to engage with government, implementers, researchers, faculty, and fellows. We will also launch a new PhD in Implementation Science at MUHAS. Through an approach based on mutual respect and partnership, our collaborative training program will integrate educational components and resources for fellows, equipping them with tools to become independent leaders in HIV Implementation Science.