The 19th Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC) National Coordinators Meeting was held from 20-22nd December 2021, in Naivasha, Kenya. The meeting attendees comprised AU-IBAR, AU-PATTEC; ICPALD; and 33 PATTEC National Coordinators. The main objective of the meeting was to discuss the 16 International Scientific Council Trypanosomiasis Research and Control (ISCTRC) Abuja Declaration recommendations to accelerate implementation progress and agree on the means of coordinating and realizing the vision of Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis (T&T) control and eradication.
The meeting held several sessions, such as sharing of status reports from countries on the status of implementation of the PATTEC initiative; Working sessions to develop action plans with clear milestones, targets, and timelines towards the performance of the recommendations, Working session on documenting the T&T challenges and factors of success and discussion of the way forward.
The meeting realised several outcomes, some of which included:
· An opportunity to share information on the management of T&T in AU Member States;
· Review the status of implementation of the recommendations
· Received report from IGAD/ICPALD on efforts being made to improve harmonisation and coordination of T&T in the region
· Developed action plans with clear milestones, targets, and timelines towards the implementation of the recommendations;
· Documented T&T challenges and factors of success
· Discussion on the way forward
The ISCTRC Abuja Declaration was made during the 35th ISCTRC Conference, and the 18th PATTEC National Coordinators Meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 23rd to 27th September 2019. During the PATTEC Open Forum on ‘Achieving the mandate of Heads of States and Governments on eradicating tsetse and trypanosomiasis from the African continent’, renewed commitment for the accelerated progress towards research, control and eradication of tsetse and trypanosomiasis constraint in the Africa continent was made.
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The meeting emphasized that the T&T problem should be tackled within the broader context of One Health, Sustainable Rural development, and poverty reduction, urging countries to develop appropriate agriculture transformation strategies in the face of changing climate conditions. Furthermore, it was emphasized that new innovative strategies, policies, advocacy and awareness, partnerships and effective coordination are paramount for accelerated progress with clear and achievable milestones agreed upon at country, regional and continental levels’’. |
The 35th ISCTRC and the 18th PATTEC National Coordinators’ meeting delegates acknowledged that the Tsetse and trypanosomiasis (T&T) problem constrain the African Continent's socio-economic development. The meeting noted the slow progress towards achieving the objectives of T&T control and eradication. The meeting observed the slow progress of T&T control and eradication despite the recognized achievements made for the control and eradication of T&T that was declared by Heads of state and Government at the African Union Summit in Lomé Togo in July 2000 (Decision AGH/Dec.156-XXXVI). Notably is the reduction in Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) cases. Therefore, the stakeholders expressed a sense of urgency in tackling the problem to safeguard the gains made on the road to elimination and eventual eradication of T&T constraints.
Informed by the Abuja Declaration, the 3rd Conference of the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment Subsequently:
1. Endorsed the International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control (ISCTRC) Abuja statement and recommendations on the PATTEC Initiative on Renewed Commitment for Accelerated Progress Towards Research, Control and Eradication of Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Constraint in the African Continent
2. Requested National Governments, AUC, RECs, and Partners to mobilise the necessary resources necessary for the realisation of the Renewed Commitment for the Accelerated Progress Towards Research, Control and Eradication of Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Constraint in the African Continent
3. Requested ISCTRC to make regular progress reports to the Ministerial meeting
The ISCTRC is a statutory Council of AUC with the Secretariat at AU-IBAR in Nairobi, Kenya. It promotes cooperation in the fight against trypanosomiasis, one of Africa’s most significant constraints to socio-economic development. To achieve its objectives, the Council facilitates information sharing and exchange on tsetse and trypanosomiasis research and control by holding regular Scientific Conferences since 1949.
Read more on:
• Concept note and ISCTRC Abuja Declaration Recommendations and other ISCTRC Publications
• International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control (ISCTRC) Abuja Declaration
• The 35th ISCTRC Conference and the 18th PATTEC National Coordinators Meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria, on 23rd to 27th September 2019.
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