From June 22-24, over 60 researchers, clinicians, and policymakers from nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa gathered in Blantyre, Malawi to discuss multimorbidity in the region, including researchers from several projects at THRU ZIM (FRACTURES-E3, CHIEDZA, KnowM, IMBA HUTANO). The retreat’s aim was to evaluate how a focus on multimorbidity can improve approaches to medical research, training, and care especially for long-term conditions, which have tended to focus on single diseases. The retreat was a huge success, pushing forward the global multimorbidity agenda and demonstrating the value of interdisciplinary and interprogramme working in global health. Momentum is being carried forward as the Africa Multimorbidity Alliance, with next steps including a virtual platform for ongoing knowledge exchange, a special issue in PLOS Global Public Health and the development of training opportunities for early career researchers.
