Strengthening capacity, collaboration and quality of clinical research in Africa: EDCTP Networks of Excellence.

Developing countries bear 90% of the global disease burden, but only access about 10% of globally available health research funding. Weak south–south networking hampers effective use of limited resources, production of critical mass of quality scientists, career opportunities and incentives to retain the few available scientists. The south must urgently act strategically to accelerate generation of talented scientists, create enabling environment and incentives to retain scientists and attract back those in diaspora. The creation of strong networks of excellence for clinical research among southern academic and research institutions is a novel strategic approach championed by European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership to achieve the aforementioned goals and mitigate the high disease burden. It will promote strong collaboration, resource sharing and cross-mentorship allowing each partner to grow with complementary capacities that support each other rather than compete negatively. It will enable the south and Africa in particular to participate actively and own the means for solving its own health problems and raise the professional quality and capacity of southern institutions to forge better and equal partnership with northern institutions.