At the current Community Engagement Network Forum 2025 in Cape Town, our Community Engagement Officer, Takura mangwiro presented how Mutala, ACRN’s primary clinical trial site, is applying insights from the Zimbabwe Engage Study to strengthen participant recruitment for the IAVI C114 HIV Vaccine Trial.
The Engage Study, social-behavioral research, explored community perceptions around HIV vaccine trials, revealing key barriers such as stigma, fear of vaccine-induced seroconversion, and family opposition. These insights have been crucial in informing Mutala’s engagement strategies and ensuring that participant recruitment is responsive to real community needs.
Guided by this study, Mutala has adopted a community-driven approach—partnering with Harare City health promoters, engaging potential participants multiple times, using consistent information, education and communication (IEC) materials, and encouraging open dialogue with family and community members. These strategies ensure recruitment is ethical, inclusive, and aligned with real community needs.
Mutala’s experience reinforces that community-led approaches are not optional—they are essential to the success of clinical research. By listening to communities, addressing concerns with transparency and leveraging trusted local structures, Mutala continues to strengthen its role as a partner in advancing HIV vaccine research in Zimbabwe and beyond.
The forum, coordinated by IAVI, brought together key partners including DTHF, PHRU, AHRI, and others committed to advancing ethical, community-centered research across Africa.
ACRN CommunityEngagement HIVResearch ClinicalTrials Mutala IAVI CENF2025 AfricaLeads HealthEquity