Haramaya University is implementing the EXCAM Project that works on Assessing Young Children’s Exposure to Campylobacter Infections in Rural Ethiopia’ in partnership with universities from United States of America: University of Florida, Ohio State University and Emory University. The EXCAM project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to systematically examine young children’s exposure pathways to Campylobacter infections and disease risks. The Project is a brainchild of ongoing partnership with University of Florida through the CAGED Project.
CAGED project aims to improve health and growth of the children by quantifying the benefits of child egg consumption through improved smallholder poultry production and simultaneously examining the advantages of protecting children from chicken droppings by using coops, which should reduce (asymptomatic) colonization by Campylobacter spp., and thus reducing the prevalence of environmental enteric dysfunction.
The kick-off meeting was held at Haramaya University Resource Center from 21-22 February 2019. All together, the two projects are expected to generate knowledge contributing to the healthy growth of children.
The team also visited Haramaya Town where the two projects are being/to be implemented in and the laboratory facilities available.
On other hand, the University also attended a multi-partner food safety projects kick-off meeting that was held in Addis Ababa on February 15, 2019. Out of four projects, Haramaya University is partnering in three, namely: TARTARE Project: The Assessment and Management of Risk from non-typhoid Salmonella, Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and Campylobacter in Raw Beef and Dairy in Ethiopia; Pull-Push Project: Urban Food Markets in Africa – incentivizing food safety; and FOCAL Project: Food borne Disease Epidemiology, Surveillance and Control in Africa.
