SI-Reducing severe malaria related child mortality in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by improving the management and control of

CD2023SIN375A101 01/09/2023 - 31/08/2025 Normal 0 21 false false false NL-BE JA AR-SA /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} Malaria and its complications, including kidney injury, remain a leading cause of child mortality in the DRC. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is emerging as a complication of increasing clinical importance associated with substantial morbidity and mortality in children with severe malaria. AKI was identified as the strongest predictor of mortality alongside coma in African children with severe malaria. Data from our previous VLIR-UOS projects noted a remarkably ever-increasing incidence of AKI among Congolese children admitted in Emergency unit, and severe malaria was found as the first cause of AKI. The goal of this project is to contribute to the reduction of malaria-related child mortality in DRC by improving management and control of an emerging life threatening malaria complication which is AKI. To achieve this, the project aims to improve access to an affordable early diagnosis of malaria associated acute kidney injury (MAKI) on the one hand, and on the other hand provide clinicians with a way to identify patients at risk for MAKI among children admitted with severe malaria, for efficient patient referral and treatment. Furthermore, through this project, University of Kinshasa research capacities will be strengthened with a new expertise on MAKI, which will be used in clinics, in research and in teaching.