LF Support Center: What's New

WHAT'S NEW

New Resources

Updated Fundraising and Advocacy Toolkit - In English and French

The toolkits now include updated versions of the endemic countries list, case statement, and PowerPoint presentation. Click here to link to the updated French version of the toolkit. Click here to link to the updated English version of the toolkit from the Global Alliance to Eliminate LF. Download documents and pictures including background information about LF and the global program; advocacy strategies; and fundraising guidelines, including a sample grant proposal. Join our toolkit group email list to receive regular updates by emailing us.

New Advocacy Activities

On June 10th, 2005, the Global Health Council arranged a Congressional briefing on neglected diseases (with a focus on LF, onchocerciasis, trachoma, schistosomiasis, leprosy, and intestinal helminths). The meeting was moderated by the LF Support Center's Dr. Eric Ottesen, and presentations were made by Dr. Peter Hotez (The George Washington University), Dr. David Molyneux (Director of the LF Support Centre at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine), and Ms. Paula Luff (Pfizer). For Dr. Hotez's presentation introducing the neglected diseases, click here. For Dr. Molyneux's presentation on integrated control, click here. For Ms. Luff's presentation on public-private partnerships, click here.

New Fundraising Activities

Sandra Libunao, our external fundraising training consultant, visited Kenya, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in the first half of 2005. Elimination programs in these countries are in various stages of conception and implementation. In Niger, the Ministry of Health is yet to install the LF program. Sandra's visit to Niger and her meeting with the Minister will hopefully hasten the process. Mali's LF program has been recently installed, but its Mass Drug Administration (MDA) is yet to begin due to a lack of resources. With Sandra's visit and her meetings with principals within the Ministry of Health, including the Minister, some funds will more likely be allocated to allow the MDA to take place before the end of the year. Kenya's LF program has begun, but is in need of resources to complete the mapping process and to continue to upscale MDA. Burkina Faso's MDA may yet receive substantial support from within the Ministry after Sandra's third visit where advocacy within the Ministry has been a top priority. En route to Kenya in February 2005, she stopped over in Johannesburg to meet primarily with NGO funding agencies to introduce the LF program and seek support.

As clearly indicated, one important purpose of the visits to Mali and Niger was principally to meet with the Ministry of Health in each country in order to ensure the commitment of the Ministry of Health to implementing LF elimination programs within the Ministry. In all countries, Sandra worked with the national LF program managers and their fundraising coordinators (as in the case of Burkina Faso) to identify and meet prospective donors in an effort to help endemic countries raise program funds. For additional information on our innovative in-country fundraising, please contact the LF Support Center, at gaelf@emory.edu.

New Journal Articles

"Defining the cost of the Egyptian lymphatic filariasis elimination programme" estimates the costs of two rounds of mass drug administration conducted in Egypt in 2000 and 2001, the average cost per person treated, and the cost share of the different program partners. To read the article, click here.

"Treatment strategies underpinning the global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis" reviews the evidence that demonstrates the safety and efficacy of the dual drug treatment program (albendazole + ivermectin or albendazole + DEC). Recommendations are made for further developments in using chemotherapy for LF. To read the article, click here.