Country Ambassadors
Yolande SISSINTO SAVI de TOVE, Associate Professor in Parasitology-Mycology. Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire - Hubert Koutoukou Maga (CNHU-HKM). Faculté des Sciences de la Santé/Université d’Abomey Calavi (FSS/UAC) Email: On request
How you have helped GAFFI so far? Fungal disease burden mapping, Diagnostic mapping.
Personal comment on the major needs in Republique du Benin which GAFFI should be addressing: In Benin as in the West African sub-region, we face a major challenge to improve the management of fungal infections. Recent advances in diagnosis, screening programs, and improved access to affordable antifungal drugs offer an unprecedented opportunity to reduce the burden of these infections. Management of fungal infections is done in specialized centers. In intermediate and peripheral centers, the treatment of mycoses remains empirical due to lack of qualified personnel and adequate technical. In Benin there is a need for technical capacity building in terms of training for the diagnosis of mycosis. The Mycology laboratories of the central level of the health pyramid must benefit from strengthening the technical platform with standardized tests at each level of laboratory network. A validation of appropriate test algorithms should be implemented in the major laboratories. The implementation of the quality management system and the internal quality control must be especially reinforced in the medical mycology laboratories. The strengthening of technical skills should be enhanced. The list of available essential drugs should be extended to azoles generics, echinocandins, flycytosine and polyenes. In terms of research, we need to conduct epidemiological studies to generate data on fungal infections and clarify the estimates.
Links to key fungal/global health institutions in Republique du Benin: Name: ministère de la santé du Bénin. Link for global diseases informations : www.sante.gouv.bj
