NEWS
Prof. Alexander Debrah receives the Prestigious EDCTP Dr. Pascoal Mocumbi Prize award 2025
TAKeOFF Coordinator Prof. Alexander Yaw Debrah, a Professor of Parasitology and Global Health at KNUST, receives the Prestigious EDCTP Dr. Pascoal Mocumbi Prize award 2025 for his contributions to global health research and capacity development in Africa. The €50,000 prize was presented on the 15th of June 2025 at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda. The award recognises Prof. Debrah’s work in combating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and advancing clinical research and partnerships across Africa and Europe. Debrah, a professor of parasitology and global health at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, has led several clinical trials focused on diseases such as lymphatic filariasis and river blindness. His early research helped identify genetic links to conditions such as elephantiasis and hydrocele, and supported the use of low-cost antibiotics like doxycycline for treatment.
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Tanzania Starts Test and Treat to Accelerate Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis
The TAKeOFF Tanzania team at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) has officially begun implementing the test and treat study aimed at accelerating the elimination of lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) infections. This was announced during a two-day training workshop for researchers and health-care providers from the Lindi and Mtwara regions on how to carry out the study protocol. The training, held in the conference hall of the Lindi Regional Commissioner’s Office, was formally opened by the Acting Regional Administrative Secretary of Lindi, Hon. Mwinjuma M. Mkungu. In his speech, he praised NIMR for leading health research in the country and for working closely with the Ministry of Health to design studies that aim to eradicate diseases that burden communities—especially neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). “NIMR is a key pillar in the health sector because it provides the scientific evidence needed to plan and implement effective interventions. This training is part of those efforts,” Hon. Mkungu said.
The TAKeOFF Consortium together with other LeDoxy trial centres have published their joint study on Lymphedema management using hygiene measures and doxycycline administration. The multi-centre, multi-country clinical trial, was conducted in 5 country, Ghana, Tanzania, Mali, Sri Lanka and India. The trials were a collaborative effort between COR-NTD (TaskForce for Global Health, Atlanta, USA) and IMMIP (Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, The German Center for Infection Research, Bonn-Cologne site, Germany). Trials in Ghana and Tanzania were funded by The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Neglected Tropical Diseases Program through their support of the Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases (COR-NTD) grant (AID-OAA-G-14-00008), funded those conducted in Mali, Sri Lanka and India. Continue reading
The 2nd Podoconiosis Conference: From Neglect to Elimination with Country Ownership
The 2nd Podoconiosis Conference was held under the auspices of the International Conference on Neglected Tropical Diseases (InCORNTD) in Kigali, Rwanda. Under the theme "From Neglect to Elimination with Country Ownership," over 100 delegates from 14 countries convened. Participants included individuals affected by podoconiosis, researchers, implementers, people with lived experience and policymakers, all united in the shared goal of eliminating this neglected tropical disease (NTD). The conference aligned with the WHO NTD Roadmap, emphasizing the critical role of country ownership in driving progress towards elimination.
The 2nd Podoconiosis Conference was a resounding success, achieving high levels of attendee satisfaction. Participants expressed positive feedback regarding the informative research and implementation sessions, noting the clear objectives, appropriate duration, and balanced content. The panel discussion, focused on advocating for WHO recognition of podoconiosis and developing community-based strategies, was particularly well-received. Networking opportunities were also highly valued by attendees. Continue reading...
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The Search for New Treatments Against Filariasis
