Stamp Out Sleeping sickness (S.O.S.) initiative highlighted at WHO Third International Conference on Neglected Zoonotic
2010-11-30
At the WHO Third International Conference on Neglected Zoonotic Diseases held on November 23/24 2010, Dr. Anthony Mbonye, the Commissioner of Health Services in Uganda praised the SOS initiative as an excellent example of an “One Health” approach, where experts from the animal, human and public health sectors have worked together to control trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness.
Uganda is the only country in Africa, where the two forms of
human sleeping sickness, one of the most significant of the
neglected zoonotic diseases, are present. In 2006 the country was
faced with an emergency situation where the two disease belts
threatened to converge with serious consequences for diagnosis and
treatment in these areas where health services were already
severely stretched.
At the WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Dr. Anthony Mbonye, the
Commissioner of Health Services in Uganda outlined the current
control strategies, which have led to a reduction in the incidence
of the disease in the country. The commissioner praised the SOS
initiative as an excellent example of an "One Health" approach,
where experts from the animal, human and public health sectors have
worked together to control trypanosomiasis or sleeping
sickness.
Initially approximately 250,000 cattle were treated by final
year veterinary students from Makerere University supervised by
their teachers, to clear them of infection and thereby reduce the
possibility of transmission of trypanosomiasis to the human
population. Five young veterinarians, who took part in the
treatment programme, have subsequently established their own
businesses to provide veterinary products and services to the
communities in the area.
A second phase is currently underway, which will treat
approximately 200,000 cattle in the neighboring Soroti and Serere
districts. A further six vets and six young animal health
workers are currently being employed to service veterinary access
points in the treated area. It is expected that some of them will
also establish their own businesses, thereby providing the
community with a sustainable means to support the gains made during
the "free of charge" treatments.
Neglected zoonotic diseases such as sleeping sickness are
massively underreported (up to 12x as many deaths as reported)
according to Dr. David Molyneux of the Liverpool School of Tropical
Medicine and have a disastrous impact on the lives of the "bottom
billion".
The SOS partners are committed to continuing to work with
communities to introduce them to the simple technology - restricted
application of insecticides (RAP), which will allow them to control
their own and their animals' health from the threat of sleeping
sickness.
Contacts:
CEVA Santé Animale (France): Martin Mitchell
martin.mitchell@ceva.com/ Phone: +33 5 57 55 40 80
IKARE/IK Investment Partners (pan-European): Anne Holm Rannaleet
anne.rannaleet@ikinvest.com / Phone: +46 70 378 9550