SCI News During 2004
November
On 23 November 2004, the government of Mali launched their national
programme for schistosomiasis and intestinal helminths control. The First
Lady initiated the ceremony and helped dispense drugs to young children.
October
Between the 18 and 27 October 2004, a mass drug distribution campaign
of Praziquantel and Albendazole took place in Burkina Faso.
On 6 October, the Minister of Health of Niger, Monsieur Mamadou Sourghia,
launched the Schistosomiasis Control Programme of the Government of Niger.
September
In order to reinforce technical knowledge at country level, a workshop
on ultrasound for West African National control programmes has taken place
in Niamey, Niger from 14 to 24 September.
A one week training workshop in practical methods of helminth diagnosis was held
in Ouagadougou during 13th – 17th September and attended by 18 district
technicians
July
At
the end of July, the first round of first year post-treatment follow-up was
completed in Hoima and Mayuge districts, marking the successful end of
fieldwork operations for longitudinal monitoring for the period 2003/2004.
The workshop was held at the Imperial College Faculty of
Medicine, St Mary’s Campus, Paddington July 20-23rd and 61 delegates from 19
countries attended.
Dr
Alan Fenwick appointed to a Chair at Imperial College London.
From 1st October Alan will be the Professor of Tropical Parasitology
at Imperial College London. His work as Director of SCI will continue as
before, following his promotion.
June
Dr Alan Fenwick receives the Donald
MacKay Medal at the Annual General Meeting of the Royal Society of Tropical
Medicine and Hygiene.
Baseline data collection
in Burkina Faso completed
The 2004 round of baseline data collection, which covered four
epidemiological areas, was completed in Burkina Faso in June. 1572 children
were enrolled in the survey.
Mass Drug Distribution on
Pemba Island, Zanzibar
The Kichocho (Bilharzia) Control Campaign on Pemba Island has started the
first treatment programme for Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminths
in Tanzania.
National Deworming Training
Started in Mainland Tanzania
Three deworming training workshops have been held in mainland Tanzania
and 125 District School Health Coordinators from Ministry of Health and
from Ministry of Education have been trained in the control of
schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminths (STH).
May
Burkina Faso Launches National Programme for the Control of Schistosomiasis
The event took place on May 6th in the town square of Ouahigouya in North West Burkina Faso,
180 km from the capital Ouagadougou. The ceremony was attended by the His
Excellency the King of Yatenga, the Minister of Health, the Hon Alain Yoda. Revised Website Launched 1st May 2004
The expansion of the SCI has necessitated a reorganisation of our website
with greater emphasis being placed of news updates and reports of activities
in individual countries
April
SCI Staff Visit to the Harvard School of
Public Health
Dr Russell Stothard visited the Harvard School of Public Health to give a
seminar entitled ‘The challenges of schistosomiasis control’ to an
assembled audience from the Boston and Cambridge campuses.
Dr Alan Fenwick Awarded MacDonal Medal
The Medal is given annually for outstanding work in tropical medicine,
especially if this improves the health of workers in the tropics, and Dr
Fenwick receives it in recognition of nearly 40 years’ work on
schistosomiasis research and control in Africa.
March
Major Procurement of Drugs for the Treatment of Schistosomiasis
In 2004, the estimated need is 11 million praziquantel tablets and 4
million albendazole/mebendazole tablets. Over the next 5 years, the market
for SCI supported countries will reach 75 million praziquantel and 25
million albendazole tablets.
February
Zanzibar – SCI staff visit
(21st Feb – 2nd March, 2004)
Dr Russell Stothard and Dr David Rollinson (NHM) visited Zanzibar
Island (Unguja) to help further develop the ‘Kick-out Kichocho’ control
programme, funded by The Health Foundation, UK and SCI, and implemented by
the Helminth Control Laboratory Unguja (HCLU).
January
Kichocho Control Programme launches on Pemba Island, Zanzibar
His
Excellency the President of Zanzibar, Amani Abeid Karume and His Excellency
the Italian Ambassador for Tanzania were joined by distinguished guests from
across Africa and Europe to launch the ‘Kichocho Control Programme’ on Pemba
Island, Zanzibar.
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