Press release
For decades, MRC Unit – The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has contributed to global efforts to understand infectious diseases and improve child survival and population health through research. From landmark studies in pneumonia, meningitis, malaria, and tuberculosis to globally recognised vaccine research, the Unit has helped generate evidence that continues to inform policy and strengthen healthcare in The Gambia and the subregion.
Fatou Bintou Ceesay still remembers the afternoon she first heard about an MRCG study in Fajikunda. Sitting among other women as the team explained their work, she listened carefully but with questions. Like many in her community, she wondered what it would mean for her and her family’s wellbeing, how to keep her children safe, and how to make the right decisions for their future.
When she chose to participate for the first time in 2021, it was not just about joining the study. It was about contributing to research that could potentially support her family and generations to come. Over time, that decision extended to her entire family. “Since joining the trial, I have learned so much about my health,” she says. “MRCG supported us and made sure we understood the study and its potential impact. That gave me confidence.”
What began as a decision for herself soon became a decision for the next generation. After seeing the benefits firsthand, over the years, her trust grew. Fatou enrolled all three of her boys, 9, 6, and her youngest, just 1, in different studies. Her experience reflects a larger truth behind this year’s World Immunisation Week theme: “For every generation, vaccines work.”
For Fatou, the most important part of her experience was the close follow-ups and care she and her children received.
“After vaccination, they come to your home for several days to check on the child,” she explains. “If they see anything unusual, they treat it immediately. For my children, I have never seen anything abnormal.” Her experience changed how she understood vaccines, not just as an injection, but as part of a system of care that protects her children. “Taking part in different vaccine studies has brought quality healthcare to me and my family,” she says. “And this is why I always advise others to join.”
According to the WHO, immunisation continues to save millions of lives every year. Vaccines prevent between 3.5 to 5 million deaths annually from diseases such as measles, diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough. For families like Fatou’s, these numbers reflect the global goals on health and closely aligned with MRCG’s vision to save lives and improve health across the world.
At MRCG at LSHTM, studies like the one Fatou joined are part of a long-standing commitment to improving health through research, partnerships, and community engagement. “For me, there is no benefit greater than healthcare,” she says. “My children are healthy as a result.”
Today in Fajikunda, she shares her experience with others who are still un. “I tell them not to be afraid,” she says. “It is for our own good and for our children.”
By working closely with families and ensuring follow-up care, the MRCG works to help improve health for generations through science. This approach reflects the spirit of World Immunisation Week, showing that vaccines go beyond preventing disease; they support families, strengthen communities, and protect future generations.
