• DNDi - Best Science for the Most Neglected 20 Years
  • Our work
    • Diseases
      • Sleeping sickness
      • Visceral leishmaniasis
      • Cutaneous leishmaniasis
      • Chagas disease
      • Filaria: river blindness
      • Mycetoma
      • Paediatric HIV
      • Cryptococcal meningitis
      • Hepatitis C
      • Dengue
      • COVID-19
      • Antimicrobial resistance
    • Research & development
      • R&D portfolio & list of projects
      • Drug discovery
      • Translational research
      • Clinical trials
      • Registration & access
      • Treatments delivered
    • Advocacy
      • Open and collaborative R&D
      • Transparency of R&D costs
      • Pro-access policies
      • Children’s health
      • Gender equity
      • Climate change
      • AI and new technologies
  • Networks & partners
    • Partnerships
      • Our partners
      • Partnering with us
    • Global networks
      • Chagas Platform
      • Dengue Alliance
      • HAT Platform
      • HELP Helminth Elimination Platform
      • LEAP Platform
      • redeLEISH Network
    • DNDi worldwide
      • DNDi Switzerland
      • DNDi DRC
      • DNDi Eastern Africa
      • DNDi Japan
      • DNDi Latin America
      • DNDi North America
      • DNDi South Asia
      • DNDi South-East Asia
      • DNDi Southern Africa
  • News & resources
    • News & stories
      • News
      • Stories
      • Statements
      • Viewpoints
      • Social media
      • eNews Newsletter
    • Press
      • Press releases
      • In the media
    • Resources
      • Scientific articles
      • Our publications
      • Videos
    • Events
  • About us
    • About
      • Who we are
      • How we work
      • Our strategy
      • Our donors
      • Annual reports
    • Our people
      • Our leadership
      • Our governance
      • Contact us
    • Work with us
      • Working at DNDi
      • Job opportunities
      • Requests for proposal
  • Donate
DNDi - Best Science for the Most Neglected 20 Years
  • DNDi - Best Science for the Most Neglected 20 Years
  • Our work
    • Diseases
      • Sleeping sickness
      • Visceral leishmaniasis
      • Cutaneous leishmaniasis
      • Chagas disease
      • Filaria: river blindness
      • Mycetoma
      • Paediatric HIV
      • Cryptococcal meningitis
      • Hepatitis C
      • Dengue
      • COVID-19
      • Antimicrobial resistance
    • Research & development
      • R&D portfolio & list of projects
      • Drug discovery
      • Translational research
      • Clinical trials
      • Registration & access
      • Treatments delivered
    • Advocacy
      • Open and collaborative R&D
      • Transparency of R&D costs
      • Pro-access policies
      • Children’s health
      • Gender equity
      • Climate change
      • AI and new technologies
  • Networks & partners
    • Partnerships
      • Our partners
      • Partnering with us
    • Global networks
      • Chagas Platform
      • Dengue Alliance
      • HAT Platform
      • HELP Helminth Elimination Platform
      • LEAP Platform
      • redeLEISH Network
    • DNDi worldwide
      • DNDi Switzerland
      • DNDi DRC
      • DNDi Eastern Africa
      • DNDi Japan
      • DNDi Latin America
      • DNDi North America
      • DNDi South Asia
      • DNDi South-East Asia
      • DNDi Southern Africa
  • News & resources
    • News & stories
      • News
      • Stories
      • Statements
      • Viewpoints
      • Social media
      • eNews Newsletter
    • Press
      • Press releases
      • In the media
    • Resources
      • Scientific articles
      • Our publications
      • Videos
    • Events
  • About us
    • About
      • Who we are
      • How we work
      • Our strategy
      • Our donors
      • Annual reports
    • Our people
      • Our leadership
      • Our governance
      • Contact us
    • Work with us
      • Working at DNDi
      • Job opportunities
      • Requests for proposal
  • Donate
Home > Stories

A few moments with an ANTICOV investigator: Dr Bernhards Ogutu in Kenya

Home > Stories

A few moments with an ANTICOV investigator: Dr Bernhards Ogutu in Kenya

Healthcare workers holding medical equipment
18 Jun 2021
Share on twitter
Share on facebook
Share on linkedin
Share on email
Share on print

On Friday 18 June, the first Kenyan patient was enrolled in the ANTICOV clinical trial. Kenya is the 5th country after the Republic of Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Ghana to start this large pan-African, collaborative scientific study whose objective is to identify treatments for mild to moderate cases of COVID-19.

The Principal Investigator supervising the trial in Kenya is Dr Bernhards Ogutu. He is a trained paediatrician, clinical pharmacologist, Chief Research Officer at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and Director of the Centre for Research in Therapeutic Sciences (CREATES) at Strathmore University, Nairobi.

Dr Ogutu, how is the COVID-19 situation in Kenya today?

I am worried. Hospitals have been observing more admissions than previously, with a number of people with severe disease coming in. The test positivity rate still remains high and is averaging 10%. But schools and parts of the economy have reopened, and we don’t know how the situation will pan out.

Despite this worrying trend, it is still difficult to convince people to adopt appropriate precautionary measures. Initially, when the first wave hit, people were a bit scared, and they listened when the first prevention measures were put in place. But now, some people feel they are safe since a few have been vaccinated; other still believe that only urban areas are affected and they are not at risk in rural areas – which is not true.

The vaccination situation is not good: we have only limited doses and the supplies are not forthcoming.  We need much more.

We need to continue looking for other health tools, in particular treatments to cure patients already infected with COVID-19.

This is why the ANTICOV clinical trial is so important.

Could you explain your role in the trial?

I am leading the ANTICOV study in Kenya. I need to ensure all the stakeholders are engaged and that all the questions the communities might have are answered. It is very important to explain to the public why we need ANTICOV right now, even though vaccines are coming.

ANTICOV researchers are focusing their efforts on mild to moderate cases, to find treatments that could prevent them from becoming severe. This is closer to prevention, because treating mild cases early can be much cheaper and effective than treating severe cases later. And it could save lives, especially in environments with limited ICU capacities.

‘A positive or a negative result from the trial will go a long way in shaping the policies of how COVID-19 is managed on the continent.’

Dr Bernhards Ogutu

What are your expectations for the ANTICOV trial?

There are many, but the main one is that ANTICOV will generate data to inform national guidelines. I sit on the National Task Force for COVID-19, and we are looking at a number of ways to treat patients. Unfortunately, we have no clear data on what treatment works for mild to moderate cases.

That is why we need to generate this data to inform the governments and the Ministries of Health on what really works and what does not, so they can make the appropriate decisions and adopt the right guidelines for their populations.

This is critical. A positive or a negative result from the trial will go a long way in shaping the policies of how COVID-19 is managed on the continent.

What will you do to gain trust with communities?

We are maintaining close contact with the communities especially in the region where the study is being carried out. We have been discussing the study with community leaders and we are ready. We also share transparently with the media all the information about ANTICOV to prevent any negative reaction. We have been explaining that we need to generate scientific data to know what drugs work for us, and that we do this for the public good.

People are more receptive because everybody knows somebody who suffered or died from COVID-19. A few sceptics still remain, but the majority are ready to listen. We had a number of appearances with media and televisions, some people wrote opeds, to make sure the communities understand the disease.

We will also explain to each participating patient to the trial that we are looking for a treatment that is tailored to their needs and that will work in their communities. It is crucial to detail the rigorous system that has been put in place to review the results and to ensure that the research we do is ethical, appropriate, and done well. This robust system of review and evaluation ensures that no one can do anything that would harm the population.

I think such sustained and positive communication is going to be key to build and maintain the trust of communities.

Any last words?

First, I would like to highlight the fact that this is the first time we are using an adaptive design as a platform for a large-scale clinical study in Kenya. Analysing the outcomes will be very interesting to evaluate how this new type of study design can be useful and can accelerate the development of knowledge. If it goes well, the findings of ANTICOV will be a very important milestone in the framework of clinical trials and in managing future pandemics.

Finally, this study shows that even in a pandemic, the global community can come together at short notice, set up a platform in a framework that is cost-effective, and develop and evaluate medicines for a new disease, in less than a year. This could create a new way of looking at how we can develop medicines for these urgent situations.

Photo credit: KEMRI, DNDi

COVID-19 Kenya Africa

Read, watch, share

Loading...
Davide Paparo and Ian Hausler with their thermotherapy device "CLARA"
Stories
16 Mar 2023

Cutaneous leishmaniasis: Swiss students develop innovative thermotherapy device for safer treatment of ‘flesh-eating parasite’

Stories
8 Mar 2023

Highlighting gender-based treatment gaps on International Women’s Day: Mary Alamak’s story

DNDi-GARDP Southern Africa director, Carol Ruffell (left), presents the December 2022 edition of HIV Nursing Matters and the 2022 paediatric ARV dosing chart to Bénédicte Schutz, Monaco’s Director of International Cooperation (centre), and Yordanos Pasquier, Monaco’s Deputy Director of International Cooperation (right).
News
3 Mar 2023

Working together to ensure optimal treatment for children living with HIV in South Africa

Nurse with patient
Press releases
1 Mar 2023

Fiocruz and DNDi sign strategic alliance agreement

Statements
28 Feb 2023

DNDi’s submission to the Technical Assessment component of the first Global Stocktake

Statements
22 Feb 2023

DNDi comments on the zero draft of the WHO CA+ for consideration of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body at INB4 & 5

Hat Platform Newsletter N°22 screenshot
Publications
22 Feb 2023

HAT Platform Newsletter No. 22

Lab activities
News
20 Feb 2023

First in-person Dengue Alliance meeting brings together experts from dengue-endemic countries to develop treatments for a growing viral threat

VIEW ALL

Help neglected patients

To date, we have delivered twelve new treatments, saving millions of lives.

Our goal is to deliver 25 new treatments in our first 25 years. You can help us get there. 

GIVE NOW
DNDi - Best Science for the Most Neglected 20 Years
Facebook-f
Twitter
Instagram
Linkedin-in
Youtube
International non-profit developing safe, effective, and affordable treatments for the most neglected patients.

Learn more

  • Diseases
  • Neglected tropical diseases
  • R&D portfolio
  • Policy advocacy

Get in touch

  • Our offices
  • Contact us
  • Integrity Line

Support us

  • Donate
  • Subscribe to eNews

Work with us

  • Join research networks
  • Jobs
  • RFPs
  • Terms of Use   
  •   Acceptable Use Policy   
  •   Privacy Policy   
  •   Cookie Policy   
  •   Our policies   

  • Except for images, films and trademarks which are subject to DNDi’s Terms of Use, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Switzerland License   
We use cookies to track our audience and improve our content. By clicking 'Accept All', you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Click on 'Customize' to accept only some cookies.
Customize
ACCEPT ALL
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
CookieLawInfoConsent1 yearRecords the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.
PHPSESSIDsessionThis cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
CookieDurationDescription
elementorneverThis cookie is used by the website's WordPress theme. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
CookieDurationDescription
_ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
_ga_16Q5RH3XRG2 yearsThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics.
_gat_UA-10302561-11 minuteA variation of the _gat cookie set by Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to allow website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. The pattern element in the name contains the unique identity number of the account or website it relates to.
_gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
_hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress30 minutesHotjar sets this cookie to detect the first pageview session of a user. This is a True/False flag set by the cookie.
_hjFirstSeen30 minutesHotjar sets this cookie to identify a new user’s first session. It stores a true/false value, indicating whether it was the first time Hotjar saw this user.
_hjIncludedInPageviewSample2 minutesHotjar sets this cookie to know whether a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site's pageview limit.
_hjIncludedInSessionSample2 minutesHotjar sets this cookie to know whether a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site's daily session limit.
_hjSession_112884430 minutesHotjar sets this cookie.
_hjSessionUser_11288441 yearHotjar sets this cookie.
CONSENT2 yearsYouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
Targeting
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo