In 2008, concerned by the burden of infectious diseases in Africa, academic and research institutions in epidemiologically linked southern and East African countries (Tanzania, DRC, Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa) embarked on a pathway towards developing Africa’s capacity for training and research in infectious diseases. We formed a One Health partnership of medical and veterinary institutions (i.e. Southern Africa Center for Infectious Disease Surveillance – SACIDS) with an ambition for an African-led Center with progressive relevance to the wider Sub-Saharan region. We have worked closely with UK institutions, namely the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), the London International Development Center (LIDC) and the Pirbright Institute (TPI), with wider international collaboration on a project-by-project basis. Our Center will develop from this platform to provide regional leadership for excellence in postgraduate training and research on infectious diseases.

We will strength postgraduate training and student-based research, developing competence in molecular biology and analytical epidemiology, testing innovative approaches, and working across sectors, institutions and borders, in partnership with internationally renowned centers of training and research excellence. SACIDS is led by Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), with core collaboration by the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) to consolidate the inter-sectoral partnership. We will train 42 MSc, 10 MPhil/Res MSc and 15 PhD students, 30% of who will be from outside Tanzania and 40% female. We will also offer 2 Postdoctoral Fellowships. We will run short courses through our tested Summer School Program. We will collaborate with our established regional and UK partners to develop skills, research capacity and contact networks. We will introduce a novel Research Leadership and Management Training program tailored to different levels ranging from PhD students right through to senior academic staff. We will build on existing videoconference and server capacity to expand the role of ICT in learning.

Our facilities, students and scientists will serve as a source of authoritative expertise for infectious diseases in diagnosis, surveillance, pathogen characterization, epidemiological modeling, and the definition of cost-effective disease risk management measures.

The objectives of SACIDS – ACE for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals in Southern and East Africa are in two strands: The training strand, which focuses on developing competence for a dynamic community of African researchers in the application of molecular biology and epidemiology to the understand and manage infectious diseases, through a tiered postgraduate training program; and the research strand which focuses on developing world-class students and fellows, addressing capacity gaps and the convergent needs in science and technology that make linking medical and veterinary research efficient and effective in the resource poor setting of southern and East Africa. Accordingly, the Center will aim to develop researchers with skills in new technologies to interrogate the natural history of disease at source and within endemic African settings. Both strategies will lead to African-led development of world-class researchers and research leaders to address the burden of infectious disease in Africa through the One Health approach based on core competencies of molecular biology and epidemiology.

The SACIDS – African Centre for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals stems from the concern for a high burden of infectious diseases in Africa and yet a low capacity for its risk management. It arises out of a consortium of academic and research institutions in southern and East African countries (Tanzania, DRC, Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa) that was formed in 2008 as a One Health partnership of medical and veterinary institutions, with Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Tanzania as the Lead Institution. The Center will be located in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM) at SUA within the academic zone of the University.

The Vision and Mission of the Center are rooted in the quest for enhancing Africa’s capacity for the science evidence based risk management of infectious diseases through the One Health approach. The SACIDS focus is to address infectious diseases in the African endemic settings through a collaborative effort between natural and social sciences to advance the understanding of interactions between humans, animals and the environment to improve public and animal health.

Our training strategy focuses on developing students who can apply principles of molecular biology or epidemiology in a One Health context to the understanding and management of infectious diseases, through a tiered postgraduate training program. Emphasis will be on self-driven learning, aiming at developing critical thinking skills and retaining knowledge that leads to self-actualization. Training will be in seven strands, i.e. (i) Taught Master’s Program involving 1 year course work plus 1 year guided research; (ii) MPhil/MSC-Research involving based on by 2 years research; (iii) PhD development; (iv) Postdoctoral program; (v) Structured short courses for students and practicing professionals covering a variety of disciplines including bioinformatics, biosafety, statistics; (vi) annual One Health driven 1 week summer schools; (vii) a novel program for research leadership and management for PhD students, supervisors and senior academic staff. Course delivery modes will include: fully face-to-face, web enhanced, flipped, blended/hybrid and fully online (e-books, e-resources, e-journals). Laboratory training will provide knowledge of both the strengths and limitations of each method to empower students to interpret experimental data.

SACIDS will train 40 MSc, 25 MPhil/Res MSc and 10 PhD students, 30% of who will be from outside Tanzania and 40% female and will offer 3 Postdoctoral Fellowships. It will have a rigorous selection and performance appraisal system for students and supervisors. It will offer short courses for students and in-service practitioners (100 trainees) and biennual One Health Summer Schools (50 trainees), as well as Research Leadership and Management, including equity issues such as gender and marginalized communities (60 trainees).

Student based research will be in three strands: (i) Addressing Viral Disease Threat to Human Health, Food Security and Livelihoods – including emerging diseases e.g. Ebola and vector-borne diseases e.g. Rift Valley fever, Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika; livelihoods and food security diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease; (ii) Addressing Neglected Tropical Infectious Diseases, with a focus on those that cause chronic disease and disability, with severe health, economic and social consequences that impact on the quality of life and livelihoods in low income or marginalized communities, especially women, children and people with disability; (iii) Addressing Community Level One Health Security, with a focus on rural, remote, cross-border and marginalized communities.

The core partnership for the Center is SUA, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and the Tanzania National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR). National Partners will be the Catholic University for Health and Allied Sciences (CUAHAS), Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agencies (TVLA) and Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI). Regional Partners will be the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD); the University of Zambia (UNZA), Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM/EMU); University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), the Biomedical Research Institute, Kinshasa; the ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (ARC-OVI), South Africa; the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI); (ix) the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI); and (x) the International Livestock Research Institute –Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa (BecA) hub in Nairobi, Kenya.

Beyond Africa partners will be the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), the London International Development Center (LIDC), The Pirbright Institute (TPI), Ranmore Consulting (UK) and the Policy Institute of King’s College, University of London plus a wider international collaboration on a tactical basis.

Industry partners will be ZENUFA Tanzania Ltd and the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI). The Tanzania Food and Drug Agency (TFDA) as a regulatory body, and the of Pharm Access Foundation will provide interface expertise. We are developing in-house capability for biologicals (vaccine and diagnostics) development and trials through a USAID collaborative grant with the University of Texas El Paso and link with a Moroccan commercial company (MCI). A conceptual framework for developing a SACIDS Innovation Hub for partnership with industry and the private sector is described.

Total cost of the project is estimated at $6,000,000 (six million USD).

5. IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

i. The project activities are not expected to impact on the environment negatively.

ii. There will be no displacement of human population as there will be no any construction. Instead there will be refurbishment of the student laboratory at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA).

The management and coordination of environment issues in Tanzania is mandated to the National Environmental Management Council (NEMC), which was enacted by the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania (The Environmental Management Act, 2004). Among the provisions of the NEMC establishment is: To provide for legal and institutional framework for sustainable management of environment; to outline principles for management, impact and risk assessments, prevention and control of pollution, waste management, environmental quality standards, public participation, compliance and enforcement; to provide basis for implementation of international instruments on environment and to provide for implementation of the National Environment Policy. Sokoine University of Agriculture adheres to, and observes, not only the provisions stated in the Act that established the NEMC, but also implements all projects and activities in accordance to the National Environmental Policy.

The project aims at utilizing technologies, which are environmentally friendly and therefore not disruptive or destructive to the environment or environmental processes. Furthermore, there are activities to be implemented that have positive impact on the environment as well on people’s welfare. Thus the project implementation process will ensure that all activities are environmentally sound and sustainable. This is in line with World Bank Policy on Environmental Assessment (OP 4.01), which takes into account the natural environment (air, water, and land); human health and safety; social aspects (involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples, and physical cultural resources); and trans-boundary and global environmental aspects.

SACIDS – ACE for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals in Southern and East Africa has regional, international and national partners who will be involved in project implementation. There will be a large number of individuals, including students, who will access project funds to implement planned and approved activities. To access the funds, all individuals will have to submit a request that details the nature of activities and a certificate of approval from the SUA’s Research and Publications Ethical Committee, which, among others, will have to approve that the activities have been carefully checked/assessed for Environmental Impact. Furthermore, all research involving human subjects will have to be submitted for ethical clearance by the Tanzania Medical Research Coordinating Committee of the National Institute for Medical Research.

(i) Site location and Accessibility

The project will be based within SUA main campus at the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, FVM, which is accessible via main entry tarmac road to the SUA campus.

(ii) Land Tenure

The Center will be on land that is legally owned by Sokoine University of Agriculture. SUA land is within Morogoro Municipality according to the SUA Land Use Plan.

(iii) Project components

(a) Road infrastructure

The Center can be accessed through the SUA main campus tarmac road, 3km from the Center of Morogoro Municipality. There are also other paved roads within the University that enable accessibility from other zones of the campus to the Center.

(b) Water supply

The water which will be used for the entire period of the project and beyond, at FVM is supplied by SUA’s independent water source which is drawn from Mzinga River. SUA possesses a water use permit for abstraction of 725.902 m3 per day. The water is used for sanitary, cleaning and maintaining the landscaping.

(c) Storm Water Management

Storm water drainage system to direct surface runoff into the environment is already in place at FVM. Rainwater is collected by rain gutters connected to open drainage system that collects storm water from the campus to the University farm.

SACIDS – ACE for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals in Southern and East Africa is not expected to have a significant negative environmental impact. However, it in accordance with the university regulations and the National Environmental Policy and guidelines, there will be a periodic evaluation of the activities of the Center to ensure the criteria for protection of the environment are met and where shortfalls in achieving these occur, mitigating factors will be put in place to comply with the national guidelines and World Bank Operational Policies.

SUA adheres to guidelines provided by the National Environmental Management Council in implementing its activities, to reduce impact on the environment. A solid framework for environmental impact assessment (EIA) is in place. During operation of SACIDS – ACE for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals in Southern and East Africa, the following will be strictly observed because of their potential adverse impact on the environment:

(a) Sanitation facilities

Wastewater management system is connected to the campus wastewater systems/waste water stabilization ponds where final effluent is discharged for treatment before being released to the environment.

(b) General waste disposal

Waste to be generated includes: waste water, laboratory waste, sanitary waste, tissue paper etc. With exclusion of wastewater, other wastes will be collected in waste bins within the building for final disposal. All laboratory wastes including animal tissues will be handled properly according to laboratory safety procedures and incinerated.

(c) Health and safety services

Students, laboratory staff and researchers will be provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as N95 air mask, gloves, goggles, laboratory coats/gowns and boots for use in situations of handling human or animal patients. For specimen and pathogen manipulation in the laboratories, PPE will be provided in accordance with the requirements of WHO/OIE for Categories 1 or 2 or 3 pathogens. The laboratory working environment will also meet the WHO/OIE requirements for handling Categories 2 or 3 pathogens including but not limited to use of class II biological safety cabinets and biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) isolation chambers (IsoArk) equipped with High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance (HEPA) filters to safeguard workers and environment. Accordingly, the facilities and procedures in the microbiological/molecular biology laboratories of the Center will be implemented to conform to the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual and the OIE Terrestrial Manual Chapter 1.1.3 (2015 Version for Biosafety and Biosecurity).

To take care of accidental splashes to personnel, laboratories will be fitted with well marked and easy to access overhead showers, eyewashes and first aid kits. FVM buildings dedicated to the Center will be equipped with the necessary fire fighting equipment. Fire assembly point will be identified and proper signs will be put in place. The building hygiene and sanitation will be contracted to ensure safe working environment. The Center will keep a register of all accidents of potential health and safety at work implications.

Furthermore, students and laboratory personnel will undergo special training in biosafety. A specific biosafety, health and safety manual will be developed for SACIDS ACE Center staff.

University Auxiliary Police and private security operators will be contracted to ensure safety and protection of property. Students and staff will be provided with firefighting training every academic year.

The Center will be located in the area designated for academic and research activities (Academic Zone) in accordance with the Land Use Master Plan of SUA and will adhere to the environment protection requirements stipulated therein as described above in this document. As a Center we undertake additional center specific environment and biosafety actions, with special focus on microbial and chemical biosafety and containment as described in this document and Annexes.

As described in the SUA Corporate Strategic Plan 2011-2020, the university does not yet have a formal system for structured environmental monitoring and reporting.

Our Center Implementation Plan for Year 1 will include commissioning a specialist consultancy to develop a Center specific Environment and Social Monitoring and Reporting Plan, using, as benchmark, the experience of NIMR, which is currently in the process for developing such a plan with consultancy advice. We will also be recruiting a Laboratory Manager in Year 1, whose responsibility will include ensuring implementation of the biosafety and environmental requirements, staff training in the same and monitoring in collaboration with both the university (Mr. Richard Massawe, Chief Planning Officer) and NIMR.

The overall responsibility for monitoring of implementation of the Center ESMP has been assigned to Mr. Richard L. Massawe, Chief Planning Officer, SUA Planning Unit, P.O. Box 3000, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro. Telephone: + 255 23 2613868, E-mail: planning@suanet.ac.tz

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