Emerging diseases
The globalization of exchanges leads to an increase in epidemics stemming from the transit of viruses and their vectors. SARS (2000 deaths in 2004) or influenza pandemics, as well as haemorrhagic fevers (Ebola, Marburg), are extremely serious as they are highly contagious and mortal without any real treatment available. The mobilization of the international community against the risk of avian influenza reveals the fear of the possible outbreak of such epidemics.
- The stakes involved in fighting epidemics
The stakes involved in fighting epidemics
Dengue is among the epidemics which have severely affected developing countries with considerable geographic spread to over 100 Asian countries, America and Oceania where over 2.5 billion inhabitants are at risk. Other viral diseases are spreading favoured by changes in ecosystems (West Nile fever, Rift valley fever, Chikungunya etc.). Similarly, billharziosis is very frequent in water infrastructure in tropical areas.
Changes in the environment together with certain prevention or treatment programmes being dropped, sometimes lead to the re-emergence of diseases which had been controlled or confined (such as sleeping sickness - human African trypanosomiasis). This re-emergence is made easier by the scarcity of drugs due to a loss of interest in these “neglected” diseases.
Sanitary risks weighing on the planet impose a strengthening of epidemic monitoring and warning systems on both a country and regional level. Even if a global health policy is actually implemented, however slowly, its effectiveness will depend on the capacity of national and regional systems to detect and provide a response to epidemiological risks. The challenge is even greater due to the fact that most national monitoring systems were underfinanced for many years and need to be restructured and strengthened. Disease research will also be dependent upon the effectiveness of these systems.
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In line with the decisions of the June 2006 Inter-ministerial Committee for International Co-operation and Development (CICID), strengthening epidemiological monitoring and epidemic control will be scaled up in coming years, particularly with the aim of supporting the production of common goods of humanity in middle income countries and emerging countries.
Internationally renowned French institutions (Institut Pasteur, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Institut de Veille Sanitaire, etc.) have developed skills in terms of monitoring, investigating and conducting research in South countries. AFD therefore aims to facilitate the mobilization of this expertise within a public health process to strengthen national monitoring and warning systems and develop regional collaboration in this field. Collaboration with the World Health Organization is also being developed and skills transfers with South institutions are targeted. AFD will therefore support regional cooperation between specialized institutions in French Overseas local authorities and those of neighbouring Foreign States in order to strengthen the monitoring systems of these States and network them.
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