The Annual PDMC Research Consortium Meeting

The Post-Discharge Malaria Chemoprevention (PDMC) research consortium

Last week, members of the PDMC research consortium gathered in Diani, Kenya, for the Annual Consortium Meeting held from 16–20 March 2026. The meeting brought together collaborators from across Africa and beyond to share progress, align on ongoing work, and discuss next steps in reducing post-discharge mortality and hospital readmissions in children.

The University of Cape Town and three key trials

The University of Cape Town continues to play an active role in three key trials within the consortium: CHEMCHA, PDMC-II, and PDMC-SAM. Across these studies, dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine (DP) is used for malaria prophylaxis, alongside azithromycin for bacterial prophylaxis, with the aim of improving outcomes in vulnerable paediatric populations following hospital discharge.

During the meeting, updates were presented on trial implementation, data collection, and emerging insights across the different study sites. Particular attention was given to harmonising approaches across trials and strengthening collaboration between clinical, pharmacology, and implementation teams. The discussions also provided an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned and to further refine strategies for ongoing and future analyses.

These annual meetings remain essential for fostering collaboration and ensuring that research findings can be translated into practical, evidence-based interventions to improve child health outcomes in high-burden settings.