|
Burkina Faso
| With
a population of 13 million, all of which live in endemic areas, the
Burkina Faso LF Elimination Programme started in Decmebre 2001 has
been able to ramp up quickly and treat over 10 million individuals
at the end of 2005 . The primary reason for the program’s effectiveness
is the national commitment and strong leadership from Dr. Dominique
Kyelem, the programme manager. Under his leadership, the Elimination
Programme has secured funding from local and international funders
and developed partnerships with NGOs to help fulfil components of
the mass drug administration and morbidity work. The government funding
for the last MDA represented more than of ¾ of the total expenditure.
The morbidity component is lagging behind as more funds are needed.
There is a real integration with onchocerciasis control programme. |
Quick
MDA statistics
Treatment: Mectizan® and albendazole
Total population: 12.6 million
(12 million at-risk for LF)
2001 MDA: 431,399
2002 MDA: 1.8 million
2003 MDA: 5.1 million
2004 MDA: 6.2 million
2005 MDA: 10.5 million
2006 MDA: data compilation
in progress |
The Burkina
national programme manager, Dominique Kyelem (second from left), with
partners from Save the Children’s local branch, La Fondation
de Développement Communautaire.
© Burkina LF Elimination Programme |
For
example, the programme has received funding from both the governments
of Luxemburg and the United Kingdom. After seeing this international
commitment, several local companies have pledged to provide in-kind
support. Programmatically, the LF Elimination Programme in Burkina
Faso is collaborating with organisations such as Helen Keller International,
which provides education and training to community volunteers; the
local affiliate of Save the Children/US, which is helping with social
mobilisation of volunteers; Handicap International, which specialises
in morbidity control; Rotary club funding hydrocelectomies; and the
Norway-based Health & Development International, which is coordinating
a project in all of West Africa to train local surgeons on how to
perform hydrocele surgery. |
Despite
the support of international donors and strong local partners, it
is anticipated that the Burkina Faso LF Elimination Programme will
need an estimated $3.5 million over the next five years to ensure
five consecutive years of mass drug administration to at least 80
percent of the endemic population. The total outstanding need is
60 percent of the budget ($2.1 million), which may decrease depending
on how much partner organisations provide.
The integration
approach within the NTDs is in its early stages and is believed
to provide more opportunities to the LF Programme.
|
|
