World Health Organization (WHO) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced plans to set up a mentorship programme for African women working in neglected tropical diseases programmes.
The mentorship is in honour of the late Dr Mwele Malecela, who was one of Africa’s most highly respected female scientists and public health leaders.
The mentorship programme will provide African women with leadership training skills as well as travel and networking opportunities to become leaders and champions of the efforts to eliminate neglected tropical diseases.
“Dr Mwele was an inspiration to women in science. She gave freely of her time and talents to mentor and motivate the next generation of global health professionals, particularly women and this mentorship programme will keep her legacy alive,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“Focused specifically on African women living in African countries, the programme aims to help them overcome barriers to realizing their potential and become leaders and champions of neglected tropical disease elimination at home and internationally.”
Neglected tropical diseases are a category of 20 diseases or disease groups that are mostly seen in tropical and subtropical areas.
Lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, onchocerciasis or river blindness, schistosomiasis or bilharzia, and human African trypanosomiasis, often known as sleeping sickness, are among them.
The Mwele Malecela mentorship program is part of a larger effort to accelerate progress toward the goals of the Neglected Tropical Diseases Global Roadmap 2021-2030, which aims to reduce the number of people requiring treatment for the diseases by 90%, have at least 100 countries eliminate at least one neglected tropical disease, eradicate two diseases (Guinea worm and yaws), and reduce disability related to these diseases by 75%.
Neglected tropical diseases afflict more than a billion people worldwide. Nearly 40% (400 million people) of the world’s weight is borne by Africa.
These diseases have the potential to be devastating, causing extreme pain, impairments and deformities, starvation, stunted growth, and cognitive damage. Some of these disorders cause anemia, which has a direct impact on maternal mortality.
Dr. Malecela was the Director of the Office of the Regional Director for Africa in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, and subsequently the Director of the WHO Department of Neglected Tropical Diseases Control at WHO Headquarters in Geneva.
Prior to joining WHO, Dr Malecela was the first woman to serve as Director-General of the National Institute for Medical Research in the United Republic of Tanzania, as well as the founding Director of Tanzania’s National Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programme.