Remarkable MARCAD participation at the 68th ASTMH Conference 2019 in Maryland

MARCAD team attended the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) 68^th Annual Meeting, held in November 20 – 24 2019 in Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center National Harbor, Maryland USA. 

The Conference brought together 4,888 tropical medicine and global health professionals representing academia, government, non-profits, philanthropy, NGOs, industry, military and private practice from 119 countries over the world. 

The large MARCAD family who joined the hundreds of public health professionals at the conference included the Programme Director, Prof Oumar Gaye, Prof Harry Tagbor (PI/Ghana), Prof Wilfred Mbacham (PI/Cameroon), Prof Mahamadou Aly THERA (PI/Mali), Prof Jean Louis A. Ndiaye (Monitoring & Evaluation officer), Prof Charles Wondji (Liverpool School), Dr Magatte Ndiaye (Training Programme coordinator) and our Programme fellows: Oumou K. Gueye, Dr Aminatou Koné, Dr Matilda Aberese-Ako, Dr Drissa Coulibaly, Dr Aminata Colle Lo, Dr Ousmane Sy, Dr Gifty D. Ampofo. 

Prof Oumar Gaye was quoted in the Johns Hopkins Medicine’s TropMed19 highlights newsletter. In their topic entitled ‘’Spotlighting African-led perspectives’’ focused on the programmatic challenges to malaria elimination, they came back on Prof Gaye’s speech at the ASTMH Conference about African leadership in science as a key: “If we want to address all these challenges and deliver new tools and medicine ... and to reach people living beyond the health system, we need well trained health workers and leadership training for scientists’’ said MARCAD Director. During this MIM session cochaired by Pr. Mbacham, Prof Wondji presented his important discovery, the new marker for insecticide resistance.   

 Among the numerous young scientific researchers who participated in the Conference, our fellows showed all their leadership through the presentation of high-quality results in the field of malaria during the poster exhibitions session, which attracted the interest of the 68^th ASTMH Conference participants.  

‘’ Our poster attracted several visitors who asked about the strategy that has been used to achieve this marked decline in malaria in the part of Senegal where our study is concentrated. They also spoke of the relevance of our study, which will provide decision-makers with clear information on the susceptibility of major malaria vectors in this area with a view to better combat them” said Dr Ousmane Sy, MARCAD Fellow. 

Fellow Dr Drissa Coulibaly also expressed his satisfaction at the end of the poster exhibition session ‘’in general, the public agreed with the conclusion of my work. Some have a concern about the fine scale implementation targeting intervention in the field’’. 

MARCAD is committed to allow its fellows to participate at major scientific meetings such as ASTMH in order to better contribute in their capacity development. 

Dr Ousmane Sy MARCAD fellow, said “I never participated at the ASTMH annual conference before my MARCAD postdoctoral scholarship, which allowed me to participate twice in this prestigious conference. I have beneficiated greatly from the different presentations of the eminent researchers, especially in the field of malaria during the conference. I also met during my poster presentation, several other colleagues working in the same field; we exchanged on the results of our research work and exchanged our contacts for future possibilities of collaboration”. 

Fellow Dr Drissa Coulibaly, said “MARCAD gave me the opportunity to be updated on the improvements of malaria diagnostic and on the new potential preventive approaches to accelerate malaria elimination... I will share what I learnt during the conference with the other students who did not attend the meeting and who benefit from MARCAD programme”. 

According to MARCAD postdoctoral fellow, Dr Aminata Colle Lo, the ASTMH Conference 2019 allowed her to socialize with colleagues from other institutions and to participate at presentations focused on Immunology and molecular Biology on malaria parasites, her principal area of research.  

‘’It has been a great experience attending the ASTMH Conference as poster presenter, I met many specialists with large experience in various areas of interests. I fully enjoyed the event with many interesting sessions which gave us information about what others are doing and give us opportunities and ability to ask questions. I would like to express my heart-felt thanks to MARCAD programme which made all possibilities for us to attend this great event ‘’added Dr Aminata Colle. 

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), founded in 1903, is the largest international scientific organization of experts dedicated to reducing the worldwide burden of tropical infectious diseases and improving global health.