Country Ambassadors

Professor Fathallah Akila, Head of the Department of Parasitology and Mycology at Farhat Hached University Hospital; Sousse; Tunisia. Professor of Medicine at Faculty of Medicine; Sousse; Tunisia.
Teacher, Parasitology and Tropical Medicine at Faculty of Medicine of Djibouti. Email: On request
How you have helped GAFFI so far?
1. During the 9th AAAM 2020 congress; Posters about aspergillosis and mucormycosis in Tunisia.
2. We strongly endorse the GAFFI objectives and we are trying to estimate the burden of serious fungal infections in Tunisia.
3. We are working on presenting the objectives, vision and mission of GAFFI to the attention of public health authorities in Tunisia.
4. We are aiming to play a more active role to inform Tunisian mycologists about the existence of GAFFI in all upcoming conferences.

Personal comment on the major needs in Tunisia which GAFFI should be addressing: In Tunisia, fungal infections are underdiagnosed due to lack of advanced diagnostic tools and adequate technical platform. To overcome these difficulties, there is a need for:
1. New diagnostic tests such as1,3-Beta-d glucan detection assays and molecular tests
2. Training young mycologists on early and accurate diagnosis of systemic mycoses
3. Increase the availability of new antifungal drugs and susceptibility tests
4. Cooperate with Mycology Reference Centers in order to launch specific surveillance programs and new research projects.

Links to key fungal/global health institutions in Tunisia:
1. Tunisian society for Infectious diseases (STPI) : infectiologie.org.tn/
2. Collège des Maladies Infectieuses, Microbiologie, Parasitologie et Mycologie www.medecinesousse.com/