On February 20-21, 2025, around 50-60 representatives from various international organizations, clinical staff, and researchers gathered in Benin to strengthen collaboration within the BLMs4BU Consortium, dedicated to the research and improvement of Buruli ulcer treatment. The meeting, hosted by the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), welcomed institutions such as Anesvad, DAHW, FRF, ARAID/UNIZAR, and ISCIII, as well as the National Buruli ulcer Control Programs of Côte d’Ivoire and Benin, and the National Program for Neglected Tropical Diseases in Togo.
Christian Johnson, the Clinical Trial Coordinator in Benin and Principal Investigator in Côte d’Ivoire opened the meeting, emphasizing the relevance of the meeting to move together in the same direction and the good progress of the project.
The meeting served as a key platform to ensure effective coordination between teams, monitoring the progress of clinical trials, and addressing challenges in implementation. “The consortium meeting in Benin allowed us to assess the progress of the clinical trial, to discuss the difficulties or challenges encountered by the different teams in the countries, and to plan for the stages to come” said Dr. Perrin Catraye, responsible for the clinical site in Pobè, Benin (CDTUB-Pobè). Moreover, Aboa Paul Koffi, Deputy Coordinating Director of the National Ulcer Control Program of Buruli ulcer in Côte d’Ivoire underlined “the consortium is an instrument which made it possible, during the Benin meeting, to share good practices from countries; but above all to better understand the actors involved and their role.”
According to Dr. Godwin Gérard Kpoton, responsible for the clinical site in Lalo, Benin (CDTUB-Lalo), the meeting was “a real opportunity for learning and sharing experiences”, which was shared by Esaï Anagonou, the local data manager in Benin, “The meeting of the BLMS4BU consortium was a great opportunity for exchange and sharing of experiences of the different stakeholders of the clinical trial”. Discussions on several aspects of the project, including participants’ recruitment, case management, data management, patient experience, and the role of laboratories in diagnosis and treatment research, made the meeting very enriching.
In fact, it was a highly productive meeting, achieving important milestones such as:
- Sharing project objectives and the current status of clinical trials in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo.
- Finding solutions for challenges arisen in the clinical trial.
- Sharing and exchanging experiences on clinical cases, wound care and physiotherapy in treatment centers and in the community.
- Planning next steps in all the aspects of the clinical trial.
At the end of the meeting, Santiago Ramón-García, coordinator of the study, concluded “The consortium meeting was a success and allowed the teams to interact and get to know each other”. In addition, Irene Cerdá, from the Research team at Fundación Anesvad, highlighted: “Commitment and cooperation among the various stakeholders are essential for the success of the project. This meeting has reinforced the collaborative approach and laid the foundation for future advances in the fight against Buruli ulcer.”
The meeting concluded with a consortium dinner, further strengthening the relationship between collaborators. The coming months will be crucial for implementing the agreed strategies and progressing in the completion of the clinical trial.