CABs & YABs

Community is more like a spider’s web, made up of many different people, who can look, feel and behave differently from each other but linked because they share something in common.

Primary goal

• Increase community awareness of prevention efforts in research and development.
• Develop and strengthen relationships with community stakeholders.
• Reduce misconceptions about the pandemics, prevention measures, clinical trials, and treatment.
• To partner with community-based organizations and to promote awareness around Primary Health Care.

• Perform baseline survey to asses willingness to participate (Evaluate the level and approach on which we could start our CE).
• One-on-one small group contacts.
• Mass awareness events.
• Sector meetings.
• High traffic volume areas.
• Large community meetings.

General Activities

• Visits to community organisations.
• Those represented and not represented in CAB, including schools.
• Regular planned visits (using database).

General Education & Outreach

• One public outreach event per month.
• General education.
• Arranged in collaboration with CAB.
• Health calendar activities.

• MERCLINCO has an excellent relationship with both the Department of Health (DOH) and the community.
• Approvals granted from Department of Health to recruit from local clinics, if applicable.
• Documentation needed for approval:
  Central or Local Ethics approval letter,
  SAHPRA approval letter (Approval timelines about 2-3 weeks).
• Usually, no barriers.

• Encourage communities to become involved and participate in this process.
• Encourage and invite the community to be an active partner and participant in this process.
• Give the community access to as much info as possible so that they can make informed decisions.
• Educate the community about trial processes and standards (sensitise) communities.

• Ensure dynamic or strong involvement – collaboration and empowerment.
• The degree of involvement should ideally be sufficient to enable partnership between us and the community.
• Vision for our society – working in a mutually beneficial and meaningful partnership.
• Strive towards the achievement of an equal partnership.

• Regional
• Provincial
• Local trial site community.
• Some sectors are prioritised, depending on our needs.
• Broad involvement – aiming to reach as many as possible.

• Education and Awareness activities
• Meetings and Forums
• Events and Public gatherings
• Church presentations
• Group sessions
• Radio Interviews
• Stake holders in communities:
  NGO,
  Faith Based Organisation,
  Community Based Organisation,
  Community leaders, Youth sectors
  Traditional healers,
  Politicians,
  Business & Labour sectors,
  Tertiary Institutions, Schools

• Has been established in 2019.
• Actively involved in the community.
• Diverse membership.
• Protect and respect the community.
• Contribute to addressing and resolving grievances about research process.
• Committed to dedicate their time.
• Investigator and Coordinator feedback very important to keep them informed.

• Help ensure community concerns are adequately addressed in informed consent documents & the overall consent process, including language & cultural sensitivity.
• Represent the diversity of individuals that are infected/affected and the concerns of those communities.
• Help to identify emerging research needs and identify gaps.
• Advise on the site’s community education programs.
• Advise on site recruitment and retention activities.
• Advise on strategies for dissemination of research results to the community.
• Ask and respond to questions.