The following is an update from the CHAMPS Ethiopia newsletter. Read more to learn about their recent progress and future programmatic steps.  Subscribe to the newsletter here.

CHAMPS Ethiopia is getting ready for the start of Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) early next year. A big welcome to Dr. Lola, who has joined our team as the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) site lead. We have also hosted our third Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting in Harar for the first time. The meeting included site visits in Harar.

Our third SAC meeting included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Harari Regional Health Office, Hiwot Fana Hospital and Kersa District Health Offices. The meeting was followed by a visit to our microbiology laboratory, pathology unit in Hiwot Fana Hospital, and the different maternal and child health units within the hospital.

The CHAMPS team also conducted a sensitization workshop for Kersa, Lange and Water Health Centre staff. Team members from the clinical and social science teams informed health staff on CHAMPS objectives and activities, and led a discussion on MITS, the community MITS journey, and how we can work together to prevent child death.

The social science team held their regular monthly CAB meetings in Harar and Kersa. They also received a training on the participatory method, Theatre for Development (TfD), by Prof. Mufunangi Magalasi from the University of Malawi. The team conducted TfD performances in Kersa to engage the community in dialogue about CHAMPS activities. They conducted participatory walks at Hiwot Fana with community members to provide feedback to the clinical team on the MITS journey, and they are continuing their assessment of community MITS. They led the CHAMPS team in a community clean-up involving 70 youth. Alongside the clinical team, they have also made great steps in Hiwot Fana by aligning health education sessions with hospital goals.

In September, our laboratory histotechnicians and clinicians were trained with ISGlobal and Centro de investigação de Saúde de Manhiça (CISM) in Mozambique, in histopathology and MITS.

In October, CHAMPS-Ethiopia site leads, a representative from EPHI and other CHAMPS team members attended the CHAMPS networking meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. During this meeting, progress updates from different CHAMPS sites were presented and sites were visited.

What is coming up?

• Our molecular and microbiology leads will be trained on micro and molecular applications in Kilifi, Kenya.
• The social science team will conduct TfD performances in two schools in Harar, and at Hiwot Fana Hospital to align with clinical activities.
• A radio program is scheduled to start in conjunction with MITS at Hiwot Fana Hospital.
• The IT team from Emory will visit the site.
• MITS initiation visit will take place in January, 2019.