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Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis control in Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire: implementing control on a limited budget

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2009

L. A. TCHUEM TCHUENTÉ*
Affiliation:
National Programme for the Control of Schistosomiasis and Intestinal Helminthiasis, Ministry of Public Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon Laboratoire de Biologie Générale, Université de Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon Centre for Schistosomiasis and Parasitology, P.O. Box 7244, Yaoundé, Cameroon
E. K. N'GORAN
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Zoologie et Biologie Animale, Unité Parasitologie et Ecologie Parasitaire, UFR Biosciences, Université de Cocody-Abidjan, B.P. 582, Abidjan 22, Côte d'Ivoire Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, B.P. 1303, Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire
*
*Corresponding author: Louis-Albert Tchuem Tchuenté, Centre for Schistosomiasis and Parasitology, P.O. Box 7244, Yaoundé, Cameroon, Tel: +237 22 21 01 83. Fax: +237 22 21 50 77. E-mail: [email protected]

Summary

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis occur throughout the developing world and remain a major public health problem in the poorest communities with enormous consequences for development. The extent of the problem has long been neglected because these diseases rarely kill at a young age and also because of their insidious nature. Today there exists a momentum and an unprecedented opportunity for a cost-effective control of these neglected tropical diseases. The control of these diseases has become a priority on the agenda of many governments, donors and international agencies. This paper highlights the progress made and future control activities in Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire, where schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis control measures have been implemented over the past decade with limited budgets. In Cameroon, deworming activities were increased to encompass all ten regions in 2007 as a result of a co-ordinated effort of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education with national and international partners. In Côte d'Ivoire, focal control activities were achieved with support from various partners. Prospects, opportunities and challenges for the control of neglected tropical diseases in these two countries are discussed.

Type
SECTION 2 IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTROL AT NATIONAL LEVELS
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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