OUR VISION A WORLD FREE FROM DEATH AND SUFFERING CAUSED BY FUNGAL DISEASE.

Ethiopia

Country Ambassadors

Tufa

Tafese B Tufa

Tafese B Tufa, Assistant Professor of Clinical Microbiology at Arsi University, College of Health Sciences, Asella, Ethiopia and Coordinator of the Hirsch Institute for Tropical Medicine (HITM), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany in collaboration with Arsi University, Asella, Ethiopia. E-mail:  mailto
 Fungal burden of disease in Ethiopia: Now published 2019
How you have helped GAFFI so far?: I have participated in the conference "Essential Diagnostics list for advanced HIV disease and serious fungal infections" held in Kampala, Uganda, April 10-12, 2018, organized by GAFFI. I have been involved in studies related to cryptococcal meningitis in Ethiopia. I contributed to the estimation of the burden of fungal infections in Ethiopia, the data of which have now been published in Tufa 2019. I have been teaching medical mycology and microbiology to medical students at Arsi University in Ethiopia since 2013.
Personal comment on the major needs in Ethiopia which GAFFI should be addressing:
Data on invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are limited in Ethiopia. There is a need of data to design appropriate programs for treatment and prevention of IFIs. GAFFI can help researchers, clinicians, and health facilities generate reliable data on fungal diseases in the country. GAFFI can share experiences, create awareness, and network experts in the field of mycology.

Fungal diseases are neglected, perhaps even misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed in Ethiopia. GAFFI can help to build mycology laboratories through collaboration with Ethiopian researchers and the government. Appropriate antifungal drugs and point-of-care tests are not widely available in the country. GAFFI can help by raising awareness and appointing an Ethiopian GAFFI ambassador. GAFFI can also facilitate workshops, on-site or short-term trainings, and develop protocols to reduce the shortage of local specialists in the field. Ethiopian experts in this field, please do not hesitate to contact me by email: tafeseb.tufa@yahoo.com
 Links to key fungal/global health institutions in Ethiopia: CDC Global Fungal Diseases https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/global/index.html