NEWS

DOLF Leadership Visits Clinical Trial Sites in Liberia and Ivory Coast

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DOLF PI Dr. Peter Fischer (3rd from left), associate director Laura Peer (center) and trial project manager, Cooper Sannah (right) met with NPHIL Director General Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan (4th from left) and his leadership team

The DOLF Project PI, Dr. Peter Fischer, and associate director Laura Peer traveled to Liberia in October for a mid-trial visit the site of DOLF’s clinical trial of treatment for the neglected tropical disease (NTD) onchocerciasis (also known as “river blindness”). The clinical trial is located at Bong Mines Hospital about 70 miles from the capital Monrovia. The clinal trial team was conducting a six-month follow up exam and treatment of one of the first cohorts of participants who received their initial treatment in April. The team was also completing infrastructure projects to continue infrastructure improvements at Bong Mines hospital that included installation of solar panels and improvements for the ophthalmology suite.

Clinical trial team members construct a black-out panel for the ophthalmology clinic in Bong Mines Hospital, Bong Mines, Liberia

In Monrovia, they met with the new Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan. NPHIL is the implementing partner for the clinical trial. They also met with the new Minister of Health of Liberia, Dr. Louise Kpoto. This visit solidified governmental partnerships that are key to successful implementation of the clinical trial, which aims to prevent and eliminate river blindness that affects 33 million people in Africa.

DOLF Director of Clinical Research Dr. Phil Budge met with collaborating researchers and stakeholders in Agboville, Ivory Coast

In November, DOLF Project Director of Clinical Trials Dr. Phil Budge traveled to the Ivory Coast for an event and meetings to share results from a clinical trial that tested new treatments for lymphatic filariasis (also known as “elephantiasis”), a disabling and disfiguring parasitic disease that is widespread in the tropics. The study was conducted in Agboville and surrounding districts in collaboration with Dr. Benjamin Koudou’s group at the Swiss Center for Scientific Research that is based in Abidjan. Drs. Budge and Koudou (with collaborators Dr. Allassane Ouattara, Dr. Catherine Bjerum, and others) shared results from the study with staff from the Cote d’Ivoure Ministry of Health, NGO representatives, community health workers, and study participants. The event also shared credit for the completion of this successful clinical trial with stakeholders and study participants.