As part of the 1st Congress of the African Association for Research and Control of Antimicrobial Resistance “AARAM”, scientists from Africa and the rest of the world met from 26 to 28 February 2018 in Bamako (Mali) at the Laïco Hotel Amitié de Bamako on the theme: Antimicrobial Resistance: What Challenges for Africa?
This event brought together for three days the experts in the fields of research and control of drug resistance (antimicrobials) in bacteriology and parasitology-mycology and many other areas such as animal and plant health in a unique concept of health called in English “One Health”.
150 scientists from 14 African countries (Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia) and the United States took part at this 1st congress.
This congress was also the first return of that of the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH). All the West African papers presented during this great scientific mass in the United States were new to give African researchers the chance to listen to their peers. It is also an initiative of the Rector of the USTTB to make a return of this conference for the teacher-researchers of Mali.
Content of the scientific congress:
Several events punctuated the three days of this 1st Congress
Opening Ceremony and presentation of the prize of young Researchers of the Pastor Institute to the Laureate Djénèba Fofana:
It was co-chaired by the Minister of Public Health Pr. Samba Ousmane Sow and the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Prof. Assetou Founé Mignan Samaké. Alongside these two ministers, we should note the presence of the Rector of the University of Technical Sciences and Technologies of Bamako, Professor Adama Keita, Editor-in-Chief of the Scientific Review of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Prof Philip.
Indeed, health research has always been one of the essential drivers accompanying people’s well-being. In this area, researchers have made an essential contribution.
The major challenge of antimicrobial resistance is a subject that today mobilizes all the energies of the public authorities in general and researchers in a specific way. It is to contribute to the search for solutions to this major problem of public health was created the African Association for Research and Control of Resistance to Antimicrobials (AARAM) whose President is Professor Abdoulaye Djimdé of the University of Technical Sciences and Technologies of Bamako, USTTB. The Association now has about twenty African Member Countries that are Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone.
This opening ceremony was honored by the presence and participation of internationally renowned researchers namely:
- Prof. Mireille Dosso, Director of the Pasteur Institute of Côte d’Ivoire,
- Professor Philip Rosenthal, Editor-in-Chief and Journal Editor of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (AJTMH).
- Professor Ogobara Doumbo, Director of Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC)
- Professor Coumba Kane Toure of High Polytechnic School at Dakar University and 2nd Vice President of AARAM,
- Professor Satigui Sidibé, Head of Diagnostic and Research Unit. This 1st Congress of Malian professors, whose fame crossed the borders of Mali, enhanced their presence:
Professors Aly Guindo, Brehima Koumare, Hamar A. Traore as well as the two deans of our faculties at Point-G Professors Seydou Doumbia and Boubacar Traore. The opening ceremony ended with the MERIEUX Award of the Young Researchers 2017 of the Mérieux Institute worth 10,000 Euro to the winner Dr. Djénèba Bocar Fofana for his continued research in the field of medicine. virology. Dr. Fofana is part of the team of Dr. Almoustapha I. MAIGA at UCRC / SEREFO and Secretary General of AARAM.
This prize was awarded by the Minister of Scientific Research and Higher Education.
Oral Communications and Poster Presentation Sessions
During these three days, 77 oral communications and 40 continuous poster presentations were made in the fields of:
- Bacteriology-Virology
- Parasitology Mycology
- Other fields: bioinformatics, animal and plant health
- The presentations focused on:
- Methods for identifying parasites, bacteria, viruses;
Efficacy of antibiotics, ARVs, antimalarials;
- The problem of the resistance of different pathogens to ATB, ARV, antimalarials and antifungals;
- entomology;
- The Genomic Pharmaco and;
- Chemical Modeling.
These papers were framed by lectures led by eminent Professor Specialists:
Professor Mireille Dosso: Microbial resistance to antibiotics: a new challenge for sub-Saharan Africa
Professor Ogobara Doumbo: Overview of AMR in parasites
Professor Coumba Kane TOURE: Journal of Resistance in Virology: Limiting Resistance: A Health Challenge for the Elimination of the HIV / AIDS Epidemic in 2030
Professor Philip Rosenthal: Antimalarial drug resistance in Africa
Professor Satigui Sidibé: Antimicrobial Resistance in Animal Health and the Environment: Issues and Impact on Human Health.
Closing Ceremony, recommendations
- Closing Ceremony
After a presentation of the general and scientific balance sheets of the 1st Congress respectively by the president of the organizing committee, Dr. Almoustapha I. MAIGA and the president of the scientific commission, Dr. Issiaka Soulama, the words of thanks of the 1st-president Pr. William Yavo and the President of AARAM, Pr. Abdoulaye Djimde, USTTB Rector Prof. Adama Diaman Keïta announced the closing of this first congress.
He also provided support for the support of this initiative, which he hopes to repeat every year.
2. The recommendations:
Recommendations were made to:
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- Policy makers for more involvement in strengthening resistance monitoring and the capacity of laboratories to diagnose microbial agents and conserve the national heritage of biological pathogens.
- Health workers for rational prescription of essential drugs.
- At AARAM the development of a sub-regional course in collaboration with the IPCI in the field of RAM monitoring and the sharing of information on the laboratories of the member countries on the web of AARAM.A General Assembly was held at the end of the Congress. This meeting allowed to present the office to all the participants, to discuss the life of the association and to envisage the activities with more adhesion of cohesion and success.Satisfaction notes the address of Prof. Abdoulaye Djimdé on what has been done so far and mentions of support for his vision as president of the association have ended the work of the first congress.
- We welcome new members and wish good luck to AARAM.
- Appointment was made for the year 2019 or 2020 for the 2nd congress, with expressions of support for projects to create national associations to strengthen AARAM in the implementation of these activities.
- Past experience has shown that fighting in the field of medical research is only won when there is a communion of effort. In this a call for the collaboration of all health research centers was launched for the dissemination of experiences and results on the web of AARAM (www.africaamr.org).
- General Assembly of AARAM
A General Assembly was held at the end of the Congress. This meeting allowed to present the office to all the participants, to discuss the life of the association and to envisage the activities with more adhesion of cohesion and success.
Past experience has shown that fighting in the field of medical research is only won when there is a communion of effort. In this a call for the collaboration of all health research centers was launched for the dissemination of experiences and results on the web of AARAM (www.africaamr.org).
Satisfaction notes the address of Prof. Abdoulaye Djimdé on what has been done so far and mentions of support for his vision as president of the association have ended the work of the first congress.
Appointment was made for the year 2019 or 2020 for the 2nd congress, with expressions of support for projects to create national associations to strengthen AARAM in the implementation of these activities.
We welcome new members and wish good luck to AARAM.
Biography of Djénèba Bocar Fofana,Mérieux prize winner:
I am an Assistant Professor of Bacterio-Virology at Faculty of Medicine – University of Sciences Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (FMPOS/ (USTTB) since December 2017.
I have worked in France during my PhD (option in virology) work on HIV drug resistance. Before the PhD, I received a PharmD degree at the University of Bamako (at 2010), then two masters in health Science and microbiology in France.
I completed my experience with a University diploma in infectious diseases “from p”
I was trained at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, in Infectious and Tropical Diseases’ Clinical Trials and currently I monitor many studies protocols on VIH, hepatitis, fecal transplantation, etc for ANRS (French Agency for HIV Research and Hepatitis). I’m also involved in biological validations of viral infections (HIV, hepatitis and all herpes virus) as associate practitioner at the Saint Antoine Hospital of Paris.
revention to therapeutics”. In addition.
As a Member of the Research team on “antiretroviral resistance-INSERMU1136” in charge of studying the epidemiology, virology and clinical therapeutic strategies for HIV infection, I work closely with respected scientists in France (Pr Anne-Geneviève Marcelin, Pr Vincent Calvez, Pr Christine Katlama and Pr Laurence Morand-Joubert).
My contribution has been mostly in the molecular characterization of drug resistance profiles of non-B HIV-1 (Prevalent subtypes from Africa). I have also been involved in the clinical development (clinical trials) of new antiviral agents. I have extensive experience in HIV research in Mali; particularly in resistances to antiretroviral therapy in Mali with Pr Souleymane Diallo, Dr Almoutapha Maïga and all team of SEREFO/UCRC. Population-based studies, especially in children, on viral load suppression and HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) rates could inform programs. The inadequate attention in monitoring lifelong ART in children can prevent to achieve the goal of viral suppression by 90% of UNAIDS.
In resource-limited countries where decision to treat or to switch treatment is mostly based on clinical assessment and access to virological monitoring is still limited. I am working on increasing access to biological assays and capacity building for patient follow-ups (Mali and Benin). This is why; I actually following a University diploma in “Quality assurance and management in the laboratory, in progress” of Sorbonne University, Paris.
Since my young age, I was peer educator at my 15 old on HIV, and I always like to working in this field. I’m married and mother of two girls. I
am very happy to receive this award, and what lucky! This motivates me to continue our work on HIV drugs resistance in Mali. With colleagues, we will also carry out evaluation studies of practices in certain clinical services (hand hygiene audit, audit on the implementation of peripheral venous catheters …) to fight against the transmission of resistant bacteria in Malian hospitals.