Malawi Accelerated Research in Vaccines, Experimental and Laboratory Systems (MARVELS) Study group engaged with Soche Technical and PACT College students to brief them about the Pneumonia Conjugate Vaccine (PCV-13) test which is currently underway.  

The study, which aimed at establishing the efficacy rate of PCV-13 in the country, decided to engage students in higher learning institutions as participants.  The results of the study will help in driving healthy policies revolving around pneumonia protection in Africa and beyond.  

MARVELS Study Senior Projects Coordinator Neema Toto said the briefings achieved their objective which was to introduce the study to the students and thereby, increasing the number of study participants.  

“We were receiving an increased number of students from the colleges enquiring about our study. As such, we wanted to reach out to many at the shortest time, “said Toto. 

Speaking during the briefing, one of the members of staff representative at Soche Technical College described the meeting as an eye-opener on the topic of Pneumonia Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) and the rising need to test its efficacy locally.  

The MARVELS Study is currently eyeing to extend their engagements to other colleges with the aim of fishing more participants to meet the study sample size of  200. 

The PVC-13 trial study was rolled out in 2019 and it is being funded by the Wellcome Trust.