OHAMR Call for proposals 2026

General Information

• Project title: Integrated One Health Vaccination for Resilient Pastoralist Communities (OH-VAX): Innovative and Inclusive Vaccine Uptake Enhancement for Alleviating Antimicrobial Resistance
• Type: Project looking for partner
• Organisation: Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization - Veterinary Science Research Institute
• Country: Kenya (KE)
• Career stage: Early Career Researcher (up to 8 years** since PhD).

Research area

• Scientific area(s) of the call:
  1. Topic 2: Develop tools and methods to improve adherence to treatment protocols.
• One Health Setting:

  H - Human Health

  A - Animal Health
  E - Environment

• Keywords:

  Vaccines; One Health; thermostable; thermochromic; AMS

• Brief description of your expertise / expertise you are looking for:

  1. Veterinary Epidemiologist / Livestock Vaccine Specialist This expert will lead the livestock vaccination component and support R&D for improved CCPP, CBPP, and PPR vaccines. They will guide field epidemiology, assess vaccine performance, and contribute to research on thermostabilising livestock vaccines to ensure they remain effective in hot, remote pastoralist areas. Their work will strengthen vaccine delivery, reduce disease burden, and lower reliance on antimicrobials in pastoralist systems. 2. Public Health Vaccinologist This expert will lead the human vaccination component of the project. They will design strategies to increase uptake of vaccines such as pneumococcal, cholera, typhoid, rotavirus, and measles in pastoralist communities. Their role will ensure that human vaccinations are safely administered, follow Ministry of Health guidelines, and contribute to lowering common infections that often lead to antibiotic misuse. They will also work closely with the veterinary team so that human vaccinations can be offered alongside livestock vaccinations. 3. Behavioral Scientist / Anthropologist This expert will help the project understand pastoralist cultures, beliefs, and attitudes toward both human and animal vaccination. They will study the social and cultural dynamics that influence health-seeking behavior and use this understanding to design communication approaches that resonate with pastoralist families. By linking the trust communities already have in livestock vaccination to improved acceptance of human vaccines, this expert will support behavior change and long-term community engagement. 4. Cold-Chain and Thermostability Specialist/Industrial partner Working in remote and hot environments requires practical solutions for vaccine storage. This expert will focus on improving the cold-chain system by introducing solar-powered fridges, heat-stable technologies, and temperature-monitoring tools such as thermochromic labels. Their expertise will ensure that vaccines remain potent from transport to administration. They will also train local teams to maintain these systems, making the vaccination program more reliable and sustainable. 5. Digital Health and AI Systems Specialist This expert will design and deploy the digital tools needed to track vaccine distribution, temperatures, and usage in real time. They will develop simple, user-friendly systems that work even in low-connectivity settings. Their work will improve data quality, support timely decision-making, and strengthen surveillance for both human and livestock vaccination. By integrating AI-driven alerts and monitoring, this expert will enhance coordination and overall efficiency of the vaccination program.

• Brief description of your project / the project you would like to join:

  Pastoralist communities often experience limited access to health services for both people and animals. This contributes to frequent disease outbreaks, low vaccination coverage, and increased use of antimicrobials, which accelerates antimicrobial resistance. This project proposes an integrated One Health vaccination approach that brings together human and livestock vaccination efforts in underserved pastoralist areas. By building on the strong community trust in livestock health services, the project aims to improve acceptance and uptake of human vaccines. Aligning the two systems supports positive behavioral change and strengthens confidence in preventive health. The initiative will focus on improving overall vaccination delivery for both humans and animals. It will promote better access to vaccines, strengthen outreach strategies, and enhance community engagement to increase coverage and reduce preventable infections. To address challenges in remote settings, the project will explore the use of improved vaccine storage options, simple monitoring tools, and digital systems to support effective distribution and use of vaccines. Through this integrated and community centered approach, the project aims to reduce illness, lower reliance on antimicrobials, limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance, and build resilience within pastoralist communities.

Moses Okoth Olum

• Organisation: Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization - Veterinary Science Research Institute
• Position: Senior Research Scientist
• E-mail: mosesolum@gmail.com
• Phone: 0729939374
• Web: kalro.org/about-us/