Our Achievements

The Publications from our teams includes

CREAMS was founded in 2011 to provide professional guidance, training, and conduct of quality clinical and health research to Malawians and health institutions. Through the use of its students, staff, and consultants, CREAMS has competencies in building online databases, provides research training including research methods, ethics, grant writing, publishing research results, and research projects management including the conduct of research. These courses and activities are designed by several experts associated with CREAMS, and trainees receive certificates of attendance. CREAMS also provides assistance with study designs, offers expertise to conduct demand-driven health research, has a tool for assessing institutional research capacities and gaps, and provides a potential networking platform for researchers and partners. These competencies have recently turned the firm into a partner of the Ministry of Health in Malawi and faith-based hospital establishments. In summary, since its formation, CREAMS has:

  1. In 2012, published the first bibliographic database of all published health research conducted in Malawi since 1964 on its website, which is open for access by the general public and this resource is updatable
  2. In 2012, coordinated the launch of research nurses training scheme that has been developed by Global Health Trials group (www.globalhealthtrials.tghn.org)
  3. In 2013, received a grant from the International Network for Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to start the process of building capacity for Systematic Reviews within the Research Directorate of Ministry of Health of Malawi. This project resulted in two workshops with members of the Directorate and some members of the Knowledge Translation Platform
  4. In 2013 launched its first short introductory courses in Basic Epidemiology, Study Design and Methods, Statistical Concepts for Clinical Research, Clinical Trial Management, Clinical Data Management, Clinical Trial Monitoring and Project Monitoring and Evaluation. Staff from health research unit of MoH, Mzuzu hospital, Kasungu Hospital and Malawi College of Health Sciences received Good Clinical Practice training in 2013
  5. In 2013 financed training of a laboratory technician in DNA analysis in Zimbabwe. The trained technician belongs to Community Health Sciences Unit of Ministry of Health in Lilongwe
  6. In 2014 supported the new ENT unit at College of Medicine (CoM) in Blantyre in training and research preparedness. The results are published: (Mulwafu W, Nyirenda T, Fagan JJ, Bem C, Mlumbe K, Chitule. Initiating and developing clinical services, training and research in a low resource setting: the Malawi ENT experience. Tropical Doctor 2014, Vol. 44(3) 135-139)
  7. In 2015 (January) developed a research and collaborators database for the CoM's Welcome Trust funded SACORE Project
  8. In 2016-17 teamed up with African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology - AIBST (Zimbabwe) and Vlakkraal (Germany) to introduce international standard DNA testing for medical and legal services in Malawi. AiBST focuses on Molecular Diagnostics, Pharmacogenetics, Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics and Forensic Science, and postgraduate training in these areas with linkage to University of Zimbabwe. The company's technology platforms are HPLC, LC-MSMS, PCR, RT-PCR, DNA Sequencers. It also setup a biobank of DNA samples from across Africa including a Phase I Clinical Trial Unit in Harare. Vlakkraal GmbH, registered in Germany specialises in Protocol development for work flow, Sampling/storage/shipping design, Quality control, Training module set up. The partnership which works closely with Pharmarcogenetics department of College of Medicine in Malawi has trained selected nurses from Mzuzu Central Hospital, Kasungu Hospital, Lilongwe Private Clinic and Mlambe hospital.
  9. From 2017 CREAMS has been involved in a hosting summer pre-medical school attachments programme for USA based science students who are taken through experience with low-income country tropical health care before they go back to the USA to apply for medical training. This is done in collaboration between CREAMS and Stem Research Institute, Fairfax, USA. Through out the years of our collaboration and from our local teams, we have published a number of papers, including the ones on this list
  10. From 2018 -2023 CREAMS has coordinated support of underprivileged undergraduate students at Kamuzu School of Health Sciences (previously CoM) with tuition fees. This scheme benefited more than 10 students who are now doctors, laboratory scientist, physiotherapist and pharmacist. This was part of building human resource for health care in Malawi.
  11. From 2019 CREAMS has partnered with e-Health Africa, which is a South Africa company, to bring electronic Occupational Health Services to Malawi
  12. From 2023, CREAMS team has embarked on a number of research activities. Our current research activity profile for 2024 is outlined here