AJF:Newsletter[quarterly]"Africa NOW" No.87

Africa Japan Forum (AJF) works with African People for African People's better life.

Africa NOW No.87

Issued on February 28, 2010 by Africa Japan Forum (AJF)

Special Topic : Address the Neglected Diseases in Africa

Those diseases unfamiliar to developed world such as African sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis), Visceral leishmaniasis (Kala Azar) and Buruli Ulcer in addition to three major infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, TB (tuberculosis) and malaria threaten many people's health and life in sub-Saharan countries. Those diseases are called Neglected Diseases as a result of poor development and use of drugs and treatment because the drug market for those diseases is very small from a perspective of global pharmaceutical firms. This special topic presents activities of DNDi (Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative) as an effort to overcome Neglected Diseases, and activities of Project SCOBU (Project Save the Children of Buruli Ulcer) by Kobe International University.

p.3 Point of this special topic (clarification of the purpose)

pp.4-7 The activities on Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative , Interview with HIRABAYASHI Fumiko
Interview with HIRABAYASHI Fumiko, a representative of DNDi Japan. DNDi was formed together with agencies and official bodies when MSF (Me'decins Sans Frontie`res) was awarded the Novel Peace Prize. DNDi achieved remarkable results in development and board use of new drugs and treatment. The Editorial Board of Africa NOW interviewed with HIRABAYASHI about the development of formation of DNDi, world-wide organizational framework, features of activities, and how DNDi concerned with African matters tackles with them.

p.8 New drugs and treatment created by DNDi's survey and research
DNDi explains development of new treatment against malaria, African sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis) and Visceral leishmaniasis (Kala Azar) in cooperation with drug pharmaceutical firms and research institutes.

pp.9-11 Project SCOBU (Save the Children of Buruli Ulcer) in Kobe International University, written by NIIYAMA Tomoki
NIIYAMA Tomoki, a Ph.D. candidate of Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences , Ritsumeikan University who make researches on Buruli Ulcer (particularly NGO's support activities), focused on West Africa, talked about activities of Project SCOBU he has been concerned with since he was a student of Kobe International University. He emphasized that it was important to support patients and their family in terms of education besides direct support of medical areas, presenting support cases of Project SCOBU in West Africa.

pp.12-15 Data from the website "Yakuji-nippo" on the trend of development of new drugs against Neglected Diseases
Five articles reporting development of new drugs against Neglected Diseases and DNDi's activities in the website "Yakuji-nippo" ("Dairy Report on Pharmaceutical" in English) serving as a general newspaper of the pharmaceutical industry.

pp.16-18 On the spot in Africa: Kenya, written by ARAKAWA Katsumi
ARAKAWA Katsumi reports the effect on youngsters' view of work had by education in Kenya. He works for children's nursing home in Kitengela as a coordinator of Saidia Furaha Organization standing for happiness aid in Swahili. He writes down a serious condition under which many youngsters cannot get a stable job while there is a tendency even among youngsters to get away from farming in Kenya where seventy percent of the population is employed in farming and pasturage.

pp.24-25 Book review: "Kokusai kyoryoku seiko eno hasso - Asia Africa no noson kara", reviewed by TSUYAMA Naoko
HIROSE Syohei as an expert of tropical agriculture was involved in a field work in tropical Africa and Southeast Asia. This book review is on a book "Kokusai kyoryoku seiko eno hasso - Asia Africa no noson kara" ( "Hints for success of international cooperation: From villages in Asia and Africa" in English) in which HIROSE emphasizes the importance of learning from traditional agricultural technique kept by local farmers. Referring to current issues of agriculture in South Africa through her own experiences there, TSUYAMA Naoko found that a writer of the book put emphasis on respect for local farmers.

4th cover "Hitotsu no musubime toshite" ( "To readers" in English) and daily report
Information from the secretariat of AJF to readers.

Index

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