Merck & Co., Inc.,* the Mectizan® Donation Program, and the Mectizan Expert Committee wish to congratulate Dr. Yankum Dadzie, recipient of the 2005 Merck Mectizan Award.
Dr. Dadzie was selected for this award based on his remarkable contributions to onchocerciasis control in Africa over the past three decades and for his more recent lymphatic filariasis elimination efforts around the world.
Prior to the donation of Mectizan, Dr. Dadzie was involved in research that examined the impact of vector control on ocular onchocerciasis and in the early clinical trials for ivermectin in Ghana. He was the first Coordinator of the Non-Governmental Development Organizations Coordination Group for Onchocerciasis Control and later became Director of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme where he played a major role in the introduction of large-scale chemotherapy with Mectizan for onchocerciasis control. Dr. Dadzie also facilitated the formation of National Onchocerciasis Task Forces in Africa by uniting the efforts of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control, NGDOs, and Ministries of Health and facilitating the development of their National Plans of Action.
More recently, he applied his experience with onchocerciasis control to the successful integration of the Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) with existing onchocerciasis control activities in Africa in his former capacity as Chair of the Technical Advisory Group. Dr. Dadzie also served as the first Chair of the Executive Group of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis whose role is advocacy and fundraising in support of the GPELF. We commend Dr. Dadzie in his continued dedication to onchocerciasis control and lymphatic filariasis elimination.
*Merck & Co., Inc. is known as MSD outside Canada and the United States.