Themes: Genesis, Networking, Capacity Building, Challenges and Opportunities
As close-out event, the WANECAM project, ROAMA- (WANECAM), a network of four African countries (Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, and Mali) and four European countries (Germany, England, France, and Sweden), organized its first congress of results dissemination on 15, 16, and 17 May 2017 at the Hotel Laico El Farouk (formerly Kempinski).
Professor Abdoulaye Djimdé, coordinator of WANECAM and Director of the DELGEME program, addressed his welcome words to the participants.
This network aims at the creation of a transnational research team able to effectively contribute to the development of new antimalarial drugs for the needs of the populations. Over the past seven years, the network contributed to the clinical development of two new antimalarial drugs, artesunate-pyronaridine and dihydroartemesiline-piperaquine, and has significantly strengthened human resources and clinical research infrastructures. This congress allowed the sharing of results with the authorities of Mali and their sub-regional and international partners under the authority of the Chancellor of the University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technology of Bamako (USTTB), Professor Adama Diaman Keïta.
Dr. Ousmane Dembele, Regional Health Director, Dr. Boubacar Oumar Touré, Medical Chief Officer, Mr. Daouda Sanogo, Technical Director, Bougoula Health Center, Dr. Oura Diallo, Koulikoro Regional Health Director, Dr. Sory Ibrahim Traore, Technical Director, Bancoumana Health Center, Dr. Boubacar Touré, Medical Chief of Referral Health Center (CSREF), Dr. Coulibaly, Technical Director, Djoliba Health Center, and Dr. Diakalia Kone, National Malaria Control Programs Director (PNLP) also participated in the congress.
During exchanges of ideas, several oral communications were presented by researchers, seniors or juniors, all members of the network.
During this congress, a documentary film on WANECAM was broadcasted. See here.
The presented papers were articulated around three topics:
- The Panel of Principal Investigators and Coordinator;
- Oral Communications;
- The Conference on Networking and Resource Mobilization, hosted by Professor Ogobara Doumbó, Director of the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC).
Oral communications: Digital and thematic review
During the 72 hours, 37 oral communications were made on the following themes:
- Communications on WANECAM data;
- Communications on non-WANECAM data.
Presentations focused on:
- Incidence of malaria;
- Effectiveness of ACTs;
- The problem of QTc prolongation;
- Parasite clearance (sexual form and asexual forms);
- Immunology; entomology; pharmacogenomics and data management.
This congress ended with a presentation of certificates and a farewell dinner organized by the coordinator, Professor Abdoulaye Djimdé, in order to thank the participants.
The entire DELGEME team is delighted to have attended and contributed to such an international high-level congress. We also thank the participants for sharing their experiences and wish them a safe return home.
