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Miriam Mutebi: Africa’s Research Accelerator – The AORTIC- Africa Microgrants

Miriam Mutebi/LinkedIn

Jul 22, 2025, 19:28

Miriam Mutebi: Africa’s Research Accelerator – The AORTIC- Africa Microgrants

Miriam Mutebi, Breast Surgical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“As I anticipate the Basic and Translational Cancer Research Workshop kicking off in Accra tomorrow, I’m also thinking microgrants.

Let me introduce you to Africa’s research accelerator, in bite-sized form: the AORTIC- Africa microgrants.

What are they?

Think of them as fast, flexible funds for our local clinicians, nurses, and young researchers to test a practical idea quickly

Why do they matter?

Sometimes, what makes the biggest difference isn’t a million-dollar study, it’s a small, focused question asked by someone on the front line. For example, A nurse at a district hospital might test sending SMS reminders to patients on chemo, and finds it halves no-shows.

What do they do?

Collect local data we don’t have: How many patients drop out of treatment? Why?
Pilot home-grown fixes: From simple triage tweaks to new follow-up methods that keep patients in care.
Prove an idea works: So it can be scaled up, attract bigger grants, and change practice across multiple hospitals.

How do they help Africa’s research ecosystem?

Every microgrant is a seed. One nurse’s small project can lead to new guidelines for hospitals in similar settings. One doctor’s mini-study can inspire policy tweaks that save money and lives at the county level.

These are African answers to African questions, built from the ground up. Think of it as planting seeds for an African research forest, patient by patient, idea by idea…until it stands tall.

Next week, I’ll share a real story of how a microgrant changed care in one Kenyan hospital. For now, watch out for updates from Ghana.”

Miriam Mutebi