- Cultivate the true African leadership - Synchronization of medical research and human resource development in Africa,Dr. Koya ARIYOSHI

Dr. Brian Greenwood, the first laureate of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize, professor of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), established Africa-London-Nagasaki Scholarship Fund (ALN) in cooperation with LSHTM and Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN) Nagasaki University with the honorarium of the Prize.

Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Unit had an interview with Dr. Koya Ariyoshi, professor of Clinical Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University, when he attended a conference of the Japanese Society for AIDS Research in Tokyo.

Dr. Ariyoshi has experience of conducting research in Africa and has been contributing to the creation and operation of ALN.

He explained us about the real purpose of human resource development in Africa, his experiences in Africa and solutions for “brain drain” of Africa.
(The interview was conducted in Japanese and translated into English by Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Unit.)
 

 


 

 

 Dr. Koya ARIYOSHI
Dr. Koya ARIYOSHI
Institute of Tropical Medicine
Nagasaki University

Dr. Ariyoshi is a clinician scientist who specializes in clinical epidemiology, tropical medicine and infectious diseases. He has profound research experiences in Africa and Southeast Asia. 
Dr. Ariyoshi worked with Dr. Greenwood (the laureate of the first Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize) in The Gambia, West Africa. He is also promoting Africa London Nagasaki Scholarship Fund at Nagasaki University.

Dr.Koya Ariyoshi
Dr. Ariyoshi attending a conference of the Japanese Society for AIDS Research
 Nov. 30, 2011 in Tokyo

 

Dr. Greenwood’s approach: conducting medical research combined with training African researchers on site

You have been working for Africa for a long time. How did you encounter Africa for the first time?

Dr. Ariyoshi: I traveled in Kenya on foot when I was a medical student. Kenyan people supported me quite a lot. When I got sick, villagers carefully nursed me giving me their food and water for three days. This unforgettable memory encouraged me to keep my researches in Africa or for Africa.   

Please tell us about your research and clinical experience together with Dr. Greenwood in Gambia.

MRC
Dr.Ariyoshi (on the left end of the back row) with Dr. Greenwood (the fifth person from left of back row),
Dr. Hilton Whittle (the left end of the front row) and colleagues at Medical Research Council (MRC) in Gambia
 (Photo by: Dr. Ariyoshi)


Dr. Ariyoshi: My research was done with the supervision of Dr. Hilton Whittle but I also had a chance to do clinical practice with the supervision of Dr. Greenwood at Medical Research Council (MRC) Hospital in The Gambia from 1992 to 1998. This is how I know Dr. Greenwood. Since in those days, Dr. Greenwood always had a strong conviction that when we did research, we should know the real setting through taking care of the local patients on the ground and also we should train local medical doctors or researchers. In past times, “Safari Study” was the main stream of medical research in Africa. Researchers from developed countries stayed only for a short time and brought back the precious clinical specimen and did study in their home countries. However, Dr. Greenwood had a different approach based on his own long-term experience in Africa; if we succeeded training an excellent African researcher with academic skills, he or she could also contribute further to not only medical research but also policy making by local governments and thus lead to the improvement of medical care in Africa.

 Dr.Ariyoshi at MRC
Dr. Ariyoshi in the laboratory at MRC

Dr. Ariyoshi at MRC 
Dr. Ariyoshi looking at a patient at MRC

 (Photos by: Dr. Ariyoshi)

 

Great zeal for the education of the next generation in Africa

 Africa London Nagasaki Scholarship is established as fruits of the cooperation between London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University

Please tell us about the history of Africa London Nagasaki Scholarship Fund (ALN).

Dr. Ariyoshi: I was very happy to hear that Dr. Greenwood was awarded the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize. Then Dr. Greenwood told me he had intention to use the entire honorarium of the Prize to establish a fund to educate and train African medical researchers. So I suggested why not let us, Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University, work with him for his initiative.

The ALN scholarship has its second round this year. We select five successful candidates every year. Ten African researchers are already studying within this program and four of them came to study in Nagasaki. I was very satisfied with ALN’s excellent students in Nagasaki. I am a little bit surprised and happy to hear that many students chose Nagasaki for their first choice. (N.B: The selected African researchers can choose either Nagasaki University or LSHTM in the application form.)

In every Christmas season, we start selection process of candidates. First, Dr. Greenwood and Dr. Geoffrey Targett (LSHTM) select about twenty candidates. Second, Dr. Targett, Dr. Shabbar Jaffar (LSHTM), Dr. Kenji Hirayama (Nagasaki University), Prof. Miriam K. Were (The first laureate of the Noguchi Hideyo Africa Prize (medical service category)), Dr. Richard Adegbola (The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) and I grade candidates. In the end, Dr. Greenwood, Dr. Targett and I do final selection in a fair evenhanded manner in February. A large number of students apply for the scholarship every year and it must be time-consuming work to choose talented candidates among them. I can feel Dr. Greenwood’s enthusiasm, “Cultivating the true African leaders is the best way to contribute to African future” when I see him and his colleagues work hard for this scholarship program voluntarily. To accept applicants as much as possible, Dr. Greenwood’s staff built a homepage so that people can submit their application online.

Now, we begin to consider how we can continue the Scholarship. (N.B: in the original plan, fifth round will be the last one.)

Dr. Ariyoshi and ALN student
Dr. Ariyoshi and ALN student
(Photo by: Dr.Ariyoshi)

What do you have in your mind when you educate and train young researches? What do you think about “brain drain”?  Some of the students having studied in developed country do not come back to their home country.

Dr.Ariyoshi: From Dr. Greenwood’s long experience in Africa, he knows resource concentration on small number of excellent students brings great impacts on Africa. He believes finding out talented students and providing supreme education is very effective to cultivate the true African leaders. Of course the leaders should take action with morality.

About “brain drain” of Africa, the fact is that many of the students want to go back to their home countries but there are not enough places where they can exploit their knowledge and skills. What important is to build sound environment in Africa so that they can be inclined to come back and to continue their researches and studies. From this point of view, it would be very nice if we can say to them “We will support you if you go back to your country.” Our ultimate goal is that those who are trained will start to train the following generation.

(November 30, 2011 in Tokyo) 

About the Scholarship


Dr. Brian Greenwood, the first laureate of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize, professor of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), established Africa London Nagasaki Scholarship (ALN) in cooperation with London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University with the honorarium of the prize.

The ALN Scholarship Fund supports African medical researchers wishing to undertake a Master’s degree related to the control of infectious diseases in Africa.

The Scholarship funds a candidate to undertake an MSc in a subject relevant to the control of infectious disease in Africa at either the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Japan or at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK. Both residential and distance learning MSc courses are available at LSHTM. Candidates offered a course at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki will be required to reside in Japan for the duration of the course.

Each year, up to five scientists will receive up to a maximum award of US$50,000 each to cover tuition fees, travel and living expenses. Successful candidates are required to write a formal report on completion of their course.
Africa London Nagasaki Scholarship (ALN)別ウィンドウで開きます 

Voices from ALN students (Copy right: Africa Nagasaki Scholarship Fund)

Alex Barasa, MSc Clinical Tropical Medicine, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki
Alex Barasa
"From this course I am appreciating a comprehensive view and understanding of tropical medicine which is advancing my career through equipping me with more skills and knowledge to share with my colleagues, seniors and juniors. Studying at NEKKEN has made me appreciate that there is much more to be done in the field of medical epidemiological research than I previously perceived, and this has modified my career perspective through acting as a spring board and fine-tuning my focus in the medical field. The most recent research findings from the different departments are so fascinating and inspiring. My mind is now more open to the vast areas that we need to focus on in order to help larger numbers of people especially in resource limited settings.  I have also come to appreciate that team work is much more than just working together but accomplishing specified tasks which comprehensively fit into each other to fulfill particular team and multi-team goals. Currently, I am looking forward to acquiring much more skilled to hopefully add more knowledge to disease control through molecular epidemiological research.”

Limangeni Mankhambo, MSC Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) London
Limangeni Mankhambo
“The courses at the school are of high standards, I have learnt a lot and I am about to complete the summer term. During the first term, I took Extended Epidemiology and Statistics of Epidemiology and Public Health modules. In the second term, the compulsory courses were Study Design and Statistical Methods in Epidemiology. For the optional modules, I chose the Epidemiology of Communicable Disease Control and Spatial Epidemiology modules. Currently, I have just completed the Advanced Statistical Methods in Epidemiology and AIDS modules.”

Augstin Zoungrana, MSc Clinical Tropical Medicine, Institute of Tropical Medicine, (NEKKEN) Nagasaki
Augstin Zoungrana
“My studies commenced immediately with introductory and orientation classes for two weeks before embarking on my thesis project under the supervision of Prof. Osamu Kaneko and Assistant Prof. Richard Culleton at the department of Protozoology. My topic was a genetic approach to an investigation of strain specific immunity in Malaria parasites. The superb mentorship and friendly laboratory environment accorded me provided a great opportunity and I was able to acquire knowledge and learn many skills in the course of my experiments.”