Burkina Faso honour for programme fighting schistosomiasis

Members of Schistosomiasis Control Initiative receive the "Chevalier of the Ordre National" - News

By Laura Gallagher
21 June 2007

The contribution of Imperial's Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) to the health of people in Burkina Faso was recognised by the country’s Ministry of Health on 12 April 2007.

The Honourable Alain Yoda, the Minister of Health of Burkina Faso, presented members of the SCI with the "Chevalier of the Ordre National" at a ceremony in Tenkodogu, in the presence of the Governor of the Province and over 2,000 dignitaries and guests.

The SCI, which is led by Professor Alan Fenwick, from the Division of Epidemiology, Public Health & Primary Care, aims to assist countries in sub-Saharan Africa to control the parasitic disease schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections. It was set up in 2002 with a £20 million grant from the Gates Foundation.

(l to r) Medal recipients Howard Thompson (SCI), Mrs E Sellin, Dr B Sellin (Réseau International Schistosomoses Environnement, Aménagement et Lutte), Alan Fenwick (SCI), Seydou Toure (Burkina Programme Manager) and Albis Gabrielli (World Health Organisation)

Mr Yoda presented the Chevalier medal and ribbon to Professor Alan Fenwick, Mr Howard Thompson, Dr Albis Gabrielli, Dr Bertrand Sellin and Mme Elisabeth Sellin. The awards recognise the assistance given by the SCI in implementing the schistosomiasis and intestinal helminth control programme, and the way in which the SCI has encouraged the establishment of integrated control of Neglected Tropical Diseases at a national level.

At the ceremony, Professor Fenwick thanked the Minister for the honour bestowed upon the SCI team, and paid tribute to the dedication and hard work of the Burkina Faso team, which is led by Dr Seydou Touré. Professor Fenwick also thanked the Gates Foundation for their contributions to the SCI and to the Burkina Faso Programme.

On winning the award, Professor Fenwick said: "This award shows that the Government of Burkina Faso appreciates the efforts of SCI in improving the health of the Burkinabe, and the fact that treatment against schistosomiasis, intestinal helminths and lymphatic filariasis has now been scaled up to cover the whole country.

"Three challenges remain for the next three to five years: first, to continue the existing coverage with annual treatments; second, to scale up treatment of trachoma; and third, to integrate the treatments into a package of treatment. This will hopefully be achieved with funding from the United States Agency for International Development, through their NTD programme," he added.

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