Implementation of National programme
Mali’s proposal to SCI was approved by the Advisory Board on October 30th
2003, subject to agreement to work on a regional basis with Burkina Faso and
Niger.
The nominated National Co-ordinator in the Ministry of Health is Dr
Robert Dembele. The National Programme is under the responsibility of the
Head of the Disease Prevention and Control Division, Dr Benoît Karambiri.
The National Director of Health is Dr Youssouf Konate. They in turn work
closely with the public health research wing of the Ministry, the Institut
National de Recherche en Sante Publique, where Dr Moussa Sacko is
responsible for the collection of data on schistosomiasis. Dr Aly Landoure
is also working closely with him on data collection and analysis; and Dr
Adama Keita of the national hospital in Bamako will be collecting ultrasound
data.
This team has prepared a detailed plan for the regions where data will be
collected; and data collection started in the Segou region in late March
2004.
The immediate needs of praziquantel have been donated by the Canadian
Charity Children’s Emergency Foundation and MedPharm. A supply of both
praziquantel and albendazole has been ordered through the Pharmacie
Populaire du Mali (PPM), with the intention of starting phase 1 of treatment
in May.
|