Medical Conference Niger 2020

The Medical conference took place on January 21, 2020, in Niamey entitled:

Response to medical challenges in Niger and the Sahel: Meningitis, Malaria, and Malnutrition.

The day brought together experts and key stakeholders from the medical, humanitarian, and public health fields. Together, the sessions addressed contemporary public health policy issues and challenges while highlighting significant advances in medical research and product development.

This seminar was also an excellent opportunity to encourage dialogue between practitioners and researchers from different fields.

Bring together experts and key stakeholders in an interactive discussion on key medical and public health policy challenges for Niger and the Sahel. 

Provide participants with:

• An update on state-of-the-art medical research and product development
• An overview of public health policy debates 
• Networking opportunities

Encourage dialogue between practitioners and researchers from different fields.

8h15 – 9h30

• Opening Session: Pr Yap Boum II - Epicentre, Cameroun
• Introduction: Dr Rebecca Grais - Epicentre, France

14h30 – 16h00 Nutrition session
Presided by Profesor Madeleine Garba, A. Moumouni University, Niger

• Programmatic constraints and prioritization for nutrition in Niger
  Dr Hamidine Hassane, Agence Nigérienne pour le Volontariat de Développement, Niger
• Product development for pregnant women
  Dr Mamane Zeilani, Nutriset, France
• Medical and political issues in the fight against undernutrition
  Dr Jean-Herve Bradol, Centre de Réflexion sur l’Action et les Savoirs Humanitaires, Médecins sans frontières, France

11h00 – 11h30 Coffee break

11h30 – 13h00 Malaria session
Moderator: Dr Hadiza Jackou Djermakoye

• A Look at the Fight Against Malaria
  Pr Nick White, Mahidol Oxford Research Unit, Thailand
• Seasonal Malaria Chemoprophylaxis – successes and challenges
  Dr Ousmane Guindo, Epicentre, Niger
• Triple Artemisinin-based combination therapy
  Dr Mehul Dorda, Mahidol Oxford Research Unit, Thaïland
• Malaria vaccines
  Dr Matthew Coldiron, Epicentre, USA

13h00 – 14h30 Lunch

14h30 – 15h30 Meningitis Session
Presided by Dr Blanche-Philomene Lelanga Anya, WHO Representative, Niger

• The situation in the Sahel
  WHO, Niger
• Development of MenAfriVac
  Dr Marc Laforce, Serum Institute of India
• Polyvalent meningitis vaccine
  Dr Prasad Kulkarni, Serum Institute of India

15h30 – 16h00 Perspective of the Lancet Infectious Diseases on medical challenges in Niger and the Sahel 

• Dr. John McConnell, Lancet Infectious Diseases, United Kingdom

16h00 – 16h30 Coffee break

16h30 – 17h30 Round Table: Strengthening Development Strategies in Public Health and Research in the Sahel
Moderator : Pr Yap Boum - Epicentre

• Dr Yvonne Mburu, Nexakili, Kenya
• Dr Ousmane Faye, Institut Pasteur Dakar, Sénégal
• Dr Ousmane Nassirou | MSP, Niger
• Dr Samuel Kinyanjui | KEMRI-Wellcome Trust

17h30 – 18h00 Conclusion

• Key Lessons of the Conference
  Dr Emmanuel Baron, Epicentre, France
• Address by the Minister of Health
  Dr Illiassou Idi Mainasara, Niger