Advancing quantitative clinical pharmacology competencies in Francophone Africa through an on-line learning framework

Clinical pharmacology and pharmacometrics are central to understanding patient response to new and existing therapies, yet access to training in Africa remains limited, particularly in francophone countries where language is a barrier. We report the design and implementation of a 12-week French-language online course combining asynchronous lessons with live interactive sessions. The inaugural cohort enrolled 72 students from Senegal (n = 37), Tunisia (n = 24), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (n = 11). While only one-third completed the full program, all survey respondents judged the course useful, highlighting clear objectives and adequate preparation time. Challenges related to perceived workload, time-zone difference in scheduling, and internet connectivity were reported by participants. A second iteration of the course hosted by the Tunisia Chapter of Pharmacometrics Africa has just completed and will gather further feedback and attempt to address lessons learnt. This proof-of-concept hands-on educational program demonstrates that delivering training in French through an online format can effectively expand access to pharmacometrics education in Africa. Strengthening local institutional partnerships to take on technical support will be critical to improving participant retention and ensuring program sustainability. Moreover, this model could be adapted to other languages and extended to additional regions, thereby promoting more inclusive global capacity building.