Dieu Merci Mbumba Lupaka

Dr. Dieu Merci Mbumba Lupaka

Malaria & Neglected Tropical Diseases Research Capacity Development in West and Central Africa (MARCAD-Plus)
University of Health and Allied Sciences
Ghana

I hold a Medical Degree from the University of Kisangani and an MSc in Medical Parasitology from Jimma University. I am currently a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Kisangani, and a medical doctor at the University Clinics of Kisangani. I am pursuing my PhD at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, focusing on the effect of sub microscopic malaria infection on maternal anaemia and fetal outcomes. Through the DELTAS Africa-supported MARCAD Plus fellowship, my research aims to generate evidence for improving malaria prevention and management during pregnancy. My work builds on prior experience in emergency response missions with Médecins Sans Frontières and collaborations with global health initiatives such as the Global Burden of Disease Network. I am deeply motivated to engage communities because sustainable health interventions depend on active participation and trust. By involving communities in malaria research, I aim to strengthen awareness, promote evidence-based practices, and ensure that findings translate into tangible health benefits for mothers and children.

CURRENT PROJECTS

My current community engagement project focuses on malaria in pregnancy in the Volta Region of Ghana. Titled “Empowering Communities: Enhancing Maternal Health through Integrated Research, Stakeholder Engagement, and Evidence-Based Interventions,” the project aims to strengthen dialogue and collaboration around existing malaria-in-pregnancy research themes to ensure that local health priorities and community perspectives inform existing research themes. To achieve this, we are conducting 13 consultative meetings with health authorities and nine community roundtables with community members, including pregnant women (women with lived experiences of malaria in pregnancy), women of reproductive age, caregivers, and researchers aim to foster mutual understanding, incorporate lived experiences, and make the generated evidence more relevant and valuable for policy and practice. By the end of July 2025, over 200 stakeholders had participated, with an emphasis on rural focus, integration with national health systems, and the involvement of traditional birth attendants. We plan to present study findings to community members in community meetings, followed by a public forum with policymakers and healthcare providers. These engagements are expected to strengthen community awareness of, and amplify community perspectives on malaria in pregnancy, and drive practical recommendations for future interventions. By facilitating dialogue on the maternal and fetal health implications and integrating them into local health policies, the project will lay the foundation for sustainable malaria control strategies and maternal health programs tailored to community needs.
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