On May 20th, MDP and *Merck co-hosted a side event in Geneva, Switzerland, during the World Health Assembly to bring stakeholders together including ministers of health, the World Health Organization (headquarters and regional offices), NGOs, donors, Merck, and the Mectizan Donation Program’s Mectizan Expert Committee to reflect on progress toward elimination, challenges, and our commitment to continue working together to ending these two debilitating diseases.
The event was emceed by a member of the Mectizan Expert Committee, Prof. B.E.B. Nwoke. The program opened with remarks by MDP director, Dr. Yao Sodahlon, and Dr. Allison Goldberg, President, Merck Foundation. WHO’s NTD director, Dr. Socé Fall, made remarks on behalf of WHO.
A panel discussion was moderated by the chair of the Mectizan Expert Committee, Dr. Gilbert Burnham. We were honored to have Honorable Minister of Health, Niger, Médecin Colonel-Major Garba Hakimi, and Honorable Minister of Health, Tanzania, Dr. Jenista Joakim Mhagama, participate. PAHO’s regional director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, made remarks on progress made toward river blindness elimination in the Americas; WHO AFRO was represented by Dr. Joseph Cabore. The donor community was represented by Ms. Arielle Dolegui, Strategy Lead, NTDs, Global Policy & Advocacy for Gates Foundation, and Dr. Solomon Zewdu, CEO of The END Fund. The NGO community was represented by The Carter Center’s CEO, Ms. Paige Alexander.
More photos from the event:
Photos by Alexis Voelin
*Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA, is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada.