The 3rd in-person meeting of the PANGenS Consortium – Pan-Africa Network for Genomic Surveillance of Poverty-Related Diseases and Emerging Pathogens – was successfully held from 10–12 February 2026 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Maputo, Mozambique. The meeting brought together representatives from across Africa and Europe, marking an important milestone in advancing collaborative genomic surveillance and strengthening public health research partnerships.
The official opening ceremony was chaired by the Director-General of INS, Dr. Eduardo Samo Gudo Jr., who emphasized that tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health challenge in Mozambique. He noted that in the first half of 2025 alone, nearly 48,000 new TB cases were recorded in the country, with annual estimates reaching approximately 120,000 cases. He further highlighted that the relevance of PANGenS is closely linked to broader global challenges, particularly climate change and its influence on infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. He recommended that climate change considerations be integrated into the consortium’s discussions and strategic planning for the year.
Opening remarks and strategic updates were delivered by the lead project coordinators, Prof. Stefan Niemann of Research Center Borstel and Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), University of Ghana. The coordinators reflected on progress achieved since the project’s launch in July 2023 and outlined strategic priorities for strengthening genomic epidemiology capacity across 12 African countries.
Scientific Programme Highlights
The scientific programme featured high-level presentations and discussions on cutting-edge approaches to genomic surveillance:
- Sébastien Gagneux of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute delivered a keynote lecture on “Molecular Surveillance of MDR M. tuberculosis: The Role of Epistasis” highlighting the transformative potential of genomic epidemiology in TB control.
- Dr. Shaheed Vally Omar of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), South Africa, presented on “BDQ resistance evolution and targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) implementation in South Africa,” demonstrating how genomic technologies are reshaping TB surveillance and strengthening resistance monitoring systems.
These sessions reinforced the central role of genomic tools in detecting drug resistance, tracking transmission dynamics, and informing evidence-based public health interventions.
Country and Study Site Updates
A key highlight of Days 1 and 2 was the comprehensive country and study site updates, where partners shared progress, challenges, and strategic insights from their respective contexts.
These updates demonstrated measurable progress in genomic surveillance implementation, laboratory capacity strengthening, and cross-country coordination in both drug-resistant TB and malaria surveillance.
Work Package Updates
Work package (WP) leads presented detailed progress reports:
- WP1 (Financial & Administrative Management): Updates on budget utilization, reporting, and coordination mechanisms.
- WP2 (Capacity Building & Training): Progress in laboratory training, technical mentorship, and strengthening sequencing capabilities across partner sites.
- WP3 (Drug-Resistant TB Surveillance): Significant advancements in coordinated genomic surveillance efforts across all participating countries.
- WP4 (Drug-Resistant Malaria Genomic Surveillance): Ongoing implementation of genomic studies to strengthen malaria resistance monitoring.
- WP5 (Data Management & REDCap): Enhancements in data harmonization, quality control, and centralized data systems.
- WP6 (Communication, Dissemination & Outreach): Strategic dissemination activities to increase visibility, policy engagement, and stakeholder communication.
Collectively, these updates highlighted the consortium’s integrated and multidisciplinary approach to strengthening genomic epidemiology across Africa.
The final day focused on presenting reports from the Work Package breakout sessions, highlighting key achievements and priority actions for the consortium. This was followed by a briefing from the Ethics Advisor, who underscored essential ethical considerations for implementing genomic surveillance activities. The Coordinators then led discussions on next steps and key milestones for 2026 to ensure aligned progress across all partners. The meeting concluded with closing remarks from Prof. Stefan Niemann.
Strategic Reflections and Way Forward
Participants acknowledged that climate-related emergencies, including recent flooding events in Mozambique, further underscore the need for resilient laboratory systems, timely data sharing, and coordinated surveillance mechanisms. The consortium reaffirmed its commitment to integrating climate-sensitive considerations into ongoing and future activities.
The three-day meeting concluded successfully, characterized by robust scientific exchange, constructive dialogue, and strengthened collaboration among all 16 partner institutions. The consortium reaffirmed its shared commitment to advancing genomic surveillance for drug-resistant tuberculosis and malaria, enhancing capacity across participating countries, and fostering sustainable partnerships between Africa and Europe.
PANGenS is supported by Global Health EDCTP3 and co funded by the European Union, whose investment enables cross-continental collaboration, capacity strengthening, and innovation in genomic surveillance to address drug-resistant tuberculosis and emerging public health challenges.