Burkina Faso: training workshop in diagnosis of helminths

A one week training workshop in practical methods of helminth diagnosis was held in Ouagadougou during 13th – 17th September and attended by 18 district technicians.

18 technicians were selected from regions where further cartography of schistosomiasis is planned during October. During the opening presentation the director of PNLSc Dr Seydou Toure stressed that this workshop was an important step towards further activation of peripheral health clinics in their surveillance of the disease as well as an excellent opportunity to better integrate and synergize mapping activities of the central PNLSc team. Lectures were given by Drs Bertrand Sellin & Russell Stothard concerning the general operations of the SCI, the biology of schistosomes and intestinal worms, their associated burdens of disease and the appropriate methods of community diagnosis. The training workshop were also featured on national TV.

All participants were trained in Kato-Katz preparations and 10ml standard urine filtration inclusive of ‘hands on’ microscopy for recognition and counting of helminth eggs. Correct use of the data entry forms, prepared by Mr Archie Clements for the forthcoming mapping exercise, were highlighted by Dr Albis Gabrielli and in order to move towards a contemporary comprehensive map of the distribution of schistosomiasis in Burkina Faso, the importance of data standardization was stressed throughout. To this end Dr Stothard gave a lecture demonstrating how these data will be used to predict areas of high risk of schistosomiasis not only in Burkina Faso, but also in other West African countries.