The 7th Meeting of the National Committee for the Control of Schistosomiasis and STH in Cameroon was held at the Ministry of Public Health. This meeting which was chaired by the Minister of Public Health, André Mama Fouda (President of the Committee), had as participants, the Minister of Basic Education, Youssouf Hadidja Alim (Vice President of the NCCSIH), the Secretary of State to the Ministry of Public Health in charge of the fight against epidemics and pandemics,Alim Hayatou in addition

Following the completion of parasitological surveys in Matta, results produced served as the sampling frame for health economics surveys as participants were selected on the basis of their schistosomiasis status. Two surveys were conducted in Matta: Poverty and neglected tropical diseases survey; and a program costing survey. The former survey captured data around general household information such as demographics, level of education, household income and assets etc, with 184 households being surveyed with a response rate of 86.38%. While the

Evaluation surveys were conducted in Matta, Malantouen Health District, in order to evaluate the effect of deworming campaigns in the region as well as provide information needed for health economics sampling framework for the COUNTDOWN project.   These parasitological surveys were conducted firstly in schools, through the assistance from school directors and teachers wo are key players in the control of schistosomiasis and STH, as they act as drug distributors during deworming campaigns in schools.   Subsequently, community-based parasitological surveyors

A health economics training workshop was organized in Yaoundé during which 15 field surveyors were trained around the best practices and techniques for effectively administering health economics surveys using the SurveyCTO software. The surveys developed for COUNTDOWN research will capture data required for the analysis of the economic burden of NTDs at household level; data to study the value for money of the investment in NTD interventions; as well as identify opportunities for planning, upscaling and integrated implementation at the

Professor Louis-Albert Tchuem-Tchuenté’s mandate as an Ambassador for the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) with specialism on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) has been extended to 2020. This is in recognition of his extensive contributions to research and control of NTDs in sub-Saharan Africa, which is no surprise given how tirelessly he has worked in the last three decades to improve policies relating to NTDs at home in Cameroon and internationally. His LSTM association as Ambassador since early 2016 continues to strengthen

Parasitological and epidemiological surveys which were undertaken in schools in Ndikinimeki Health District, recorded a high prevalence of schistosomiasis in some areas in the district. This led to the decision of a district-wide community based mas drug administration of PZQ and ALB. The district is composed of 6 health areas: Makenene, Nitoukou, Nyokon, Ndokowanen, Ndikinimeki, and Boutourou. Prior to this MDA, a training session was organized for supervisors and CDDs which was facilitated by the District Medical Officer and the