WHO, Benin Plan International Meeting on Buruli Ulcer

Cotonou/Brazzaville, 27 March 2009 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of Benin will jointly organize a High-Level Leadership Meeting on Buruli ulcer (BU) from 30 March to 3 April, in Cotonou.

The meeting aims to further increase awareness and interest in BU among Heads of State and policy makers, engender greater political commitment among them,   and reinforce partnerships for the mobilization of resources for BU control and research.  Most importantly, the meeting  will adopt the Cotonou Declaration in  support of the implementation of new BU control strategy.

Heads of State from key African BU-endemic countries – Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo – are expected to attend the meeting, taking place ten years after the historic Conference in Yamoussoukro (Cote d’Ivoire) which adopted the  Yamoussoukro Declaration on  Buruli Ulcer.

Benin President, Dr.  Boni Yayi, is expected to open the High Leadership Meeting ,  while the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, will deliver the keynote address.

The High-Level Leadership Meeting (30 March) will precede the Annual Meeting of the Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative  (31 March to 2 April).

This is essentially  a technical meeting that brings together representatives from the ministries of health of the affected countries, nongovernmental organizations and researchers involved in BU activities to  review progress as well as technical  and operational challenges for intensified control of BU. The technical meeting is expected to develop a road map for the implementation of the Cotonou Declaration.

Over 300 participants from more than 32 countries are expected to attend: Australia, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, French Guyana, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Italy, Kenya, Liberia, Luxembourg, Nigeria, the Netherlands, Norway,  Sierra Leone, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uganda, United Kingdom and United States of America.

For more information on the disease:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs199/en/index.html