Signing of the China-Africa Institution-based Cooperation for the Elimination of Schistosomiasis

On the 5th October 2015, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in establishment of institution-based network on China-Africa Cooperation for Schistosomiasis elimination, was signed between China and African institutions, in Cape Town, South Africa. The institutions in this cooperation consist of:

1. The National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Prof. Zhou Xiaonong)
2. Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon (Prof. Louis-Albert Tchuem Tchuente )
3. Institut National de Recherche en Santé Publique, Mali (Prof. Mamadou Souncalo Traore) 
4. Blue Nile National Institute for Communicable Diseases, University of Gezira-Wad Medani, Sudan (Dr. Bakri Yousif Mohamed Nour)
5. National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza Centre, Tanzania (Dr. Mwele Malecela) 
6. College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe (Prof. Nicholas Midzi)

The parties agree to promote and develop the co-operation and the schistosomiasis elimination in Africa by transferring Chinese experiences on the basis of equity and mutual benefit, and to develop cooperation in specific areas. The priority areas include: capacity building, sharing of control and elimination strategies, co-researches on snail control, case detection, treatment and surveillance under the framework of the national schistosomiasis control and elimination programmes. Plan of action to establish the Institution-based Network will be developed by key parties involved.