SCI News During 2003
November
Uganda Update
During this 8 month period approximately 500,000 people have been treated
for bilharzia, and about 8 million have received de-worming pills, of which
500,000 have been treated on two occasions
October
Bilharzia Control launched on
Unguja Island, Zanzibar
October 18th 2003, His Excellency the President of Zanzibar, Amani Abeid
Karume and the Minister of Health the Honourable Mwinyihaji Makame launched
the bilharzia control programme.
The second meeting of the SCI Advisory
Board was held on 30th October 2003 at Imperial College London.
The SCI will expand its geographical coverage into five new countries: Tanzania;
Zambia; Burkina Faso; Mali and Niger.
The board approved additional funds for Uganda, to allow retreatment of subjects treated in year one, plus coverage to treat an
additional $800,000 in year two.
The board also approved a request for funding of a post for two years to
be based at AFRO Harare.
Mass measles vaccination and deworming in Uganda
From October 16th through 20th a mass measles vaccination campaign was
run in Uganda targeting 12.7 million children aged 6months to 15 years. The
Uganda Ministry of Health added in a de-worming campaign at the same
delivery points, and achieved 8 million coverage using albendazole from 3
sources, purchased by the Ministry of Health, donated by SCI, and donated by
Glaxo Smith Kline.
Liaison staff for the new countries
Dr Lynsey Blair has been appointed by SCI as coordinator for Tanzania.
She will work with the coordinator Dr Ursuline Nyandindi appointed by the
Ministry of Health.
Ms Cara Kamenka has been appointed by SCI as coordinator for Zambia
working with Dr Christopher Milupi from the Ministry of Education and Dr
Faith Nchito who is the Ministry of Health appointed coordinator.
Dr Albis Gabrielli has been appointed by SCI as coordinator for the West
African consortium of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
September
SCI and DBL (Danish Bilharziasis Laboratory) are co-sponsoring a meeting
in Kampala, Uganda, September 9th-12th on Bio-Diversity of African
Freshwater Snails. Please contact us for more details of this meeting.
August
Uganda Latest
In Uganda, the first phase of the National Programme for the Control of
Bilharzia and Intestinal Worms has been completed. At least 18 sub-counties,
one in each of 18 Districts have received sufficient prazquantel and
albendazole to treat school children and (where indicated) whole
communities. Preliminary assessment suggests that the coverage was
excellent. Some lessons have been learned and these will be addressed before
the second phase begins in October. We estimate that close to 300,000 people
will have been treated in Phase One. The results will be reviewed in London
October 7th-9th.
A documentary film has been completed chronicling the implementation in
Uganda during the first phase, and this is available free of charge to
approved applicants. Please email schisto@imperial.ac.uk for a copy of the
film requesting the format (DVD, Video tape and system) and explaining why
you need it.
August
SCI Appoints a Director of
the Surveillance and Monitoring Unit
SCI welcomes Dr Joanne Webster who holds a Royal Society fellowship and comes to Imperial College
London from Oxford University. Joanne will also head the
Schistosomiasis Research Group within the
Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology.
July
Advocacy Workshop
The July 14-16th Advocacy Workshop involving delegates from 11 African
countries, was held successfully in London and a detailed report of this
meeting is available for download [PDF format 124Kb].
June
Publication of the first SCI
annual report
The report, which is available for download [PDF
format 575Kb], outlines the SCI's achievements in the first year of
operation .
First national programme to combat Schistosomiasis
launched in Uganda
The first national programme to tackle schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan
Africa is launched in Uganda by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
March
Field Co-ordinator appointed
to the Surveillance and Monitoring Unit
Dr Russell Stothard joins the SCI from the Natural History Museum.
January
Joint Mission to Mali
A meeting with the Minister of Health of Mali, Mme Keita Rokiatou N'Diaye;
and a joint mission including Dr Dirk Engels and Dr Likezo Mubila (WHO), Dr
Seung-Hee Lee (World Bank) and Howard Thompson (SCI). The Minister presented
the Mali National Plan for Schistosomiasis Control to members of the mission
on 31st January 2003.
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