From July 20 to 31, 2023, the YTO Foundation organized a workshop at the "Institut National de la Santé Publique" (INSP) to strengthen the skills of 20 key players of the Côte d’Ivoire healthcare field. This initiative, sponsored by the Ministry of Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Health Coverage, focused on improving the skills of researchers, teacher-researchers and health professionals to secure international funding and complement the resources provided by the Ivorian government. This first of a kind workshop in Côte d'Ivoire was made possible thanks to the support of the US government and the technical backing of the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI).
A workshop to build the capacity of healthcare professionals
Côte d'Ivoire, with its unique genetic diversity and health challenges, represents a unique landscape for biomedical research. The YTO Foundation, committed to the advancement of precision medicine, recognizes the important role that well-developed research proposals play in securing the funding needed to address local and global health disparities. The training was part of the Foundation's wider mission to build the capacity of local researchers and support innovation in healthcare solutions suitable to the African context.
Writing grant proposals for healthcare
The main objective of the training session was to equip participants with the skills needed to write a detailed and convincing research grant proposals. These skills are essential to secure funding from global grant agencies that are increasingly interested in funding projects promising to significant improve healthcare. Participants were guided through the complexities of grant writing, focusing on how to articulate the relevance of their research, the methodology to be used, and the potential impact of their findings.
A workshop led by Professor David Okou
The workshop included several sessions led by Professor David TEA OKOU (Ph.D), a clinical molecular geneticist and adjunct research faculty in the Department of Pediatrics at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. In Côte d'Ivoire, he works at the "Institut National de Santé Publique" in Adjamé, where he is in charge of genetic research into non-communicable diseases. The workshop on grant writing included:
- Understanding funding sources: An overview of potential funding agencies for health research in Africa, including government agencies, international health organizations and private foundations.
- Identifying the elements of a wining proposal: Detailed discussions on structuring proposals, drafting clear, high-impact objectives, and designing a research methodology that meets funding requirements.
- Hands-on writing sessions: Participants took part in hands-on activities where they wrote proposal sections and received real-time feedback from their peers and the trainer.
- Case studies: Evaluation of proposals that were successfully funded to understand what made them efficient.
Impacts and outlook
The workshop not only empowered participants, but also strengthened the networking among local health researchers, fostering a collaborative environment conducive to future research ventures. The YTO Foundation remains committed to supporting the healthcare field in Côte d'Ivoire through training, funding and research, with the aim of paving the way for innovative healthcare solutions that are culturally relevant and scientifically sound.
This workshop marks an important step towards empowering local researchers to take charge of health issues in their communities, ensuring that local health challenges receive the attention and fund they deserve to lead to appropriate solutions.
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