MARC SE-Africa convenes antimalarial resistance writer’s retreat in Cape Town
From 26 to 30 January 2026, MARC SE-Africa hosted a fast-paced, five-day antimalarial resistance writing workshop in Cape Town, set against the scenic backdrop of Chapman’s Peak and Noordhoek beach.
The workshop brought together 14 experts from Southern and East Africa, from academia, national reference laboratories, policy specialists, and regulatory agencies. Participants represented institutions from Australia, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, with strong engagement from the national malaria programmes and regional networks across the region.
Writing retreat participants: (back row from the left) Jaishree Raman, Joanitah Atuhaire, Dativa Pereus, Donnie Mategula, Daniel Yilma Bogale, Karen Barnes (second row from the left) Stephanie Van Wyk, Lucy Harrison, Lydia Eloff, Deus Ishengoma, Davis Mumbengegwi, Olive Mbekwani (front row from the left) Nathy Josepha Umutoni, Marilyn Solomons, Jonathan Gwasupika
The primary aim of the workshop was to create protected time for focused scientific writing and collaboration. Delegates worked intensively on policy briefs, country profiles and regional situation reports on antimalarial drug resistance, malaria treatment guideline updates, systematic reviews, and academic manuscripts, generating invaluable insights into antimalarial drug resistance across Southern and eastern Africa. A core focus was accelerating data sharing, reducing the time between data generation and public availability, and strengthening regional collaboration around shared evidence on drug-resistant malaria detection and response.
The programme was complemented by expert-led sessions, including a talk on data visualisation by Dr Lucy Harrison from the University of Oxford, a session on public engagement and social media outreach by Dr Charvy Narain from the Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network/Infectious Diseases Data Observatory, and a keynote address by Prof Deus S Ishengoma from Tanzania’s National Institute for Medical Research. Prof Ishengoma emphasised the critical role of laboratory and bioinformatic capacity development in understanding the emergence, selection and spread of antimalarial drug resistance in East Africa and its impact on efforts to combat malaria across Africa, as well as the importance of rapid data sharing and preprint publishing.
The workshop was hosted by Prof Karen Barnes and reflects MARC SE-Africa’s ongoing commitment to African-led science, regional collaboration, and evidence-driven action to protect the efficacy of life-saving antimalarial treatments.
