Introduction to SC-GRA Project Sites: Trained Teams Ready for Field Deployment

The site initiation visit (SVI) for the strengthen clinical and genomic research capacity on arboviruses (“SC-GRA”) project, began on August 24, 2026, starting with Mali. This activity, which takes place in both in-person and virtual formats, is continuing with the other member countries of the consortium. This initiative aims to harmonize protocol implementation procedures across the member countries, in strict compliance with ethics and applicable regulations. • Dr. Mountaga Diallo, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer: “This is a Site initiation visit (training) intended for the different sites. It ensures that the research team and everyone involved share a common understanding of the protocol, procedures, and tasks that will be assigned to them. This session also aimed to familiarize the teams with clinical, laboratory, and data collection procedures, in order to guarantee perfect harmonization in the execution of the study.” This team-building activity is intended for more than 70 key stakeholders, including clinicians, biologists, data managers, and community engagement specialists. At the end of the first session, participants stated that they had fully assimilated the overall process, from the reception and orientation of participants to recruitment and sampling, which are carried out based on informed consent. • Dr. Abdoulaye Daou, Clinician-Researcher: “Thanks to this training, we have acquired the good practices to adopt when recruiting participants. In any research involving human beings, it is paramount to respect a certain number of ethical principles, starting with the physical integrity of the person. Without their free and informed consent, they cannot under any circumstances be included in the study.” • Kany Agathe Coulibaly, Nurse and Member of the Regulation and Ethics Team: “This particularly enriching training brought us a lot. Personally, it taught me how to interact correctly with participants, notably by ensuring compliance with ethical rules, informed consent, and their psychological preparation before sampling. My work requires rigorous preparation and strict adherence to standards: it is about minimizing the risk of contamination when facing a symptomatic participant, while protecting everyone against any infection.” A proper understanding of these guidelines will guarantee quality and rigor in conducting field activities. In addition to structuring the delegation of tasks, this training will mark a decisive milestone, specifically the launch of the project's operational phase across sites in Mali, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. SC-GRA/WACCREP Communication Office