A doctor's Covid-19 legacy

Dar es Salaam. The Institute of Pests Management at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (Sua) has promised to continue with scheduled research to try and establish whether rats can be trained to diagnose samples with Covid-19.

The Institute’s pledge comes following a sudden death of Georgies Mgode, 51, the man who was behind the initial trials.

Before his death, Dr Mgode held an exclusive interview with The Citizen on June 17, 2021 during which he shared different issues including execution of the new project following record achievements in the use of trained rats in identification of sputum samples with Tuberculosis (TB) parasites.

He worked as the programme manager of the Belgian non-governmental organization, Apopo TB, dealing with novel diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) using trained African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys sp. Known in Swahili as Panyabuku.

The man who made the country proud in the scientific area, Dr Mgode, died on July 5, 2021 and was buried on Thursday, July 8, this year at his home village of Hanseketwa in Mbozi District in Mbeya Region.

He is described as being a committed scientist who significantly applied science and technology to benefit humanity in reducing TB transmission.

Over 74 hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Coast Morogoro and Dodoma are beneficiaries of technology to identify samples with TB parasites through the use of trained African giant pouched rats.

Dr Mgode passed on after he and his team had commenced research initiatives on whether trained African giant pouched rats could be taught to identify samples with Covid-19 viruses.

However, the Sua director of the Institute of Pests Management, Dr Ladislaus Mnyone, has pledged to continue with the project in the honour of the fallen scientist.

“We will honour all the good things he has done including determining how other animals can be used for scientific examinations,” he said.

He said the idea to research on Covid-19 originated from Sua’s Vice Chancellor Raphael Chibunda after being attracted by the German’s use of trained dogs to detect samples with Covid-19 viruses.

“Prof Chibunda sent a text message challenging me to follow up on developments in Germany, and then conduct a research whether the same could be done better with rats. I discussed the matter with Dr Mgode for about an hour. We finally agreed to implement the trials,” he said.

He said Dr Mgode drafted a protocol and submitted it to the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) detailing how the research would be carried out.

According to him, agreement with the World Bank was that some of the funds disbursed for implementation of a major project at the institute would be used for initial research and that findings would determine how the main project would be funded.

Dr Mnyone said unfortunately Dr Mgode died before Nimr had issued permission for the project or response on the protocol submitted about month and a half to two ago.

“As the institute director, it is my responsibility to follow up with Nimr to establish the position and development. I will ask the institute to fast track provision of the permit in order to enable us to continue with initial trials,” he said.

According to him, Sua has prioritized use of animals in scientific and diagnosis of diseases, saying the vice chancellor has instructed establishment of a department of animal behaviour science at the institute.

Furthermore, he said stakeholders who worked closely with the Dr Mgode are well known because he was transparent; therefore, the institute was planning to engage them in future projects. Describing Dr Mgode, he said, “We have lost a brilliant scientist and a true patriot who loved his scientific work. He liked to see the community benefited from his job.”

He said the life of the scientist was like a book consisting of many issues that would remain useful to people of all ages, but specifically the youth.

“Dr Mgode could work even to the dead of the night and provide feedback on the progress. He was a very committed and hard working person,” he said.

African giant pouched rats and Covid-19

During an exclusive interview on June 17, 2021, Dr Mgode told The Citizen that trained African giant pouched rats could be taught to diagnose samples with coronavirus.

He said the conviction followed achievements in using the animals in detecting samples with TB parasites.

According to him, difference in smell between human being was the secret to enabling rats to detect diseases, noting that they were flexible to understand their targets (smell) basing on the training they have received.

The former head of the Vector-borne and Zoonotic Disease Studies Section at Sua basing on the phenomena people infected with the virus will definitely have different smell as compared to those without infections.

“Identifying asymptomatic patients (infected but those who don’t show symptoms) is very important in understanding the situation of the disease in the society and as early preventive measures will reduce its seriousness,” he said.

He said trained rats were spontaneous as they can test as many as 100 samples in 20 minutes as compared to a laboratory technician who is required to test 30 samples in eight working hours according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

“In 2020, trained African giant pouched rats detected 2014 samples to have TB parasites that couldn’t have been identified in modern hospitals. The move reduced possible infection caused by asymptomatic TB patients estimated to be 44 percent,” he said.

Trained rats in foreign missions

Dr Mgode said during the interview that there were many trained African giant pouched rats from Tanzania in Cambodia, Mozambique, Angola and Ethiopia where they are working to detect underground mines and TB.

“We are closely following their progress as we have established a database comprising report of the animals and daily progress information that could be monitored from different parts of the world,” he said.

How the training is done

He said rats are taken from their mothers at the age of one to two months and start getting used to their teachers.

They are then taught to abide by instructions and understand targets (smell), noting that during this period, good performers are usually awarded.

“We usually award them with a banana that has been mixed with other food stuffs making a good taste to the rats. They usually graduate after completing a special training syllabus,” he said.

Plans for retired Magawa

According to Dr Mgode there was no plans for the retired HeroRat Magawa who is a gold medal winner after its outstanding job to detect landmines in Cambodia to return home.

He said there were hundreds of retired rats in different countries who are still cared by experts and their progress is carefully monitored.

Education

Dr Mgode received his primary education at Hanseketwa Primary School (1979-1985); ordinary level at Igawilo Secondary School (1986-1989) and certificate of Livestock at the Livestock Training Institute (LITI) in Dar es Salaam between 1990 and 1993.

He pursed his bachelor degree in science (Bsc) at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) between 1998 and 2003, before pursuing for his master degree and then a PhD.

Employment

He was employed by Sua on July 1, 1996 as a lab technician Grade III who was elevated basing on his performance and education progress to the level of a senior researcher the position he held until July 5, 2021 when he succumbed to death.

Following his achievement in research on African giant pouched rats, he was honoured in 2012 by the fourth Phase President Jakaya Kikwete.

Family

Dr Mgode who was born on May 7, 1970 is survived by a widow, Ms Anastazia Mbise and five children; Koko, Nanshe, Antuye, Langa and Joanna.