Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) officially commenced the CODA Project on Wednesday ,12th June 2024 with a well-attended meeting at the university premises.
The project, led by Principal Investigator Prof. Joseph Ngonzi, is a five-year endeavor funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Grant Number 1U01CA279858-01. The presentations were as below;
Dr. Joy Muhumuza a Gynecological Oncologist heading the cervical cancer prevention Unit at Mbarara Regional Referral hospital. She shared about the burden of cancer at International, national and regional level. Dr. Muhumuza highlighted that most women do not undergo cervical cancer screening, according to reports from the World Health Organization.
With this she gave the WHO plan of eliminate cervical cancer that each country should meet the 90–70–90 targets by 2030 to get on the path to eliminate cervical cancer.
- vaccination: 90% of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15;
- screening: 70% of women screened using a high-performance test by the age of 35, and again by the age of 45;
- treatment: 90% of women with pre-cancer treated and 90% of women with invasive cancer managed. https://www.who.int/initiatives/cervical-cancer-elimination-initiative
With a passion to making a difference in women’s health on the Globe, Joy gave hope by saying that early detection of HPV can help identify changes on the cervix early enough, potentially bridging the gap in the healthcare sector.
This was followed by a detailed presentation by a diagnostic specialist, Mr. Frank Sedyabane. He shared the study functionality and practicability, showing how things are going to be done differently in relation to HPV detection taking care of all the insecurities of women. He emphasized that eliminating cervical cancer requires eliminating HPV. To achieve this goal, he recommends timely screening using high-performance tests to detect HPV infection or premalignant cervical lesions early.
Assoc. Prof. Joseph Ngonzi , the Principal Investigator of the CODA Project and Senior lecturer at MUST, mentioned that this is a five-year endeavor funded by the NIH (Grant Number 1U01CA279858-01).
The project aims to evaluate CODA’s effectiveness in cervical cancer screening compared to existing methods like VIA. Additionally, it will assess CODA’s practicality and user-friendliness in Ugandan clinical settings, gather feedback to refine CODA’s design, and measure its accuracy in detecting HPV.
Finally, the project seeks to develop a multi-modal screening algorithm (CANOPY) that integrates CODA with other methods for potentially improved diagnosis. Aligning with MUST’s mission, this multi-country project with teams in Uganda, the United States, and Ghana has the potential to significantly improve cervical cancer screening and women’s healthcare outcomes.
His presentation was followed by the District Health Officer Dr. Ssebutinde who appreciated the timely study and appreciated the practicability of CODA. He gave his remarks, mentioning that Uganda has several scientists. However, the difference between them lies in who practices science to transform livelihoods and make an impact in the community.
This project of CODA exemplifies the kind of impactful science we strive for and translating scientific advancements into practical tools like CODA, we can directly improve patient care and health outcomes in our communities.
Representing the Hospital Director Dr. Leonard Abesiga said the Hospital is more than committed to support the study. He also pointed out the comfortability of elderly women in testing for cervical Cancer
Ms. Alexa Namuli, a nursing officer and clinic in-charge at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, mentioned in her remarks that cervical cancer is a reality in our community. We need to look for interventions that can reduce cancer statistics and ease diagnosis.
The deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. Charles Tushaboomwe Kazooba thanked the PI and team for winning such a noble grant to support mothers. Charles noticed the diversity of the team in terms of qualification and age difference . He pointed out the need to make mother comfortable with the testing for Cervical cancer and appreciated the idea of counseling before during and after the testing. He appreciated the senior nurses who have served diligently in the hospital, he recognized Sr. Alexa Nakimuli, Sr. Gertrude Busige and others who where present at the meeting.
The meeting was graced by the Vice Chancellor Prof Celestino Obua who pointed out the importance of embracing technology and embarking on the evaluation of various diagnostic tools, emphasizing its relevance to the university’s mission.
He further stressed the need to prioritize patient privacy rights and encouraging frequent cervical cancer testing to ensure the project’s positive impact on women’s health. He congratulated the team and encouraged them to publish the findings and disseminate them since they are key to stakeholders in the health sector.
A brief about the CODA Project
The CODA Project aims to revolutionize cervical cancer screening through the evaluation of its innovative CODA technology. The project seeks to achieve the following:
- Evaluate CODA’s Effectiveness: Compare CODA’s performance with existing methods like VIA for cervical cancer screening accuracy.
- Assess Feasibility and Acceptability: Evaluate CODA’s practicality and user-friendliness within Ugandan clinical settings.
- Refine CODA Technology: Gather feedback from users to improve CODA’s design and workflow.
- Determine Diagnostic Accuracy: Measure CODA’s accuracy in detecting HPV compared to established testing methods.
- Develop a Multi-Modal Screening Algorithm (CANOPY): Integrate CODA with other screening methods (VIA, Machine Learning) to potentially improve overall diagnostic yield.
Collaboration is Key
Ugandan team
- Assoc Prof Joseph Ngonzi (Obstectrics and gynaecology)
- Mr. Frank Ssedyabane (Medical laboratory science)
- Dr. Joy Muhumuza (Gynaecologic oncology)
- Ms. Alexcer Namuli (Gynaecologic oncology nursing)
- Ms. Josephine Asiimwe (Project administration)
- Dr. Raymond Atwine (pathology)
Ghanaian team
- Dr. Thomas Konney (Gynecologic oncology)
- Dr. Nicholas Mensah (Gynecologic oncology)
- Dr. Francis Adjei Osei (Gynecologic oncology)
American team
- Dr. Thomas C Randall (Gynecologic oncology)
- Dr. Cesar M Castro (Gynecologic oncology and translational research)
- Dr. Hakho Lee (Biomedical engineering)
The CODA Initiation meeting concluded with a group photo capturing the spirit of collaboration between MUST researchers, healthcare professionals from Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, and international collaborators from Uganda, the United States, and Ghana. This collaborative effort holds immense promise for improving early detection of cervical cancer, empowering women to take charge of their health, and ultimately saving lives.