THE FIRST WESTERN AFRICA-FRANCE FORUM ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICAL INNOVATION

For the first time in French-speaking Africa, the Academy of Medicine Foundation, in partnership with the Académie Nationale des Sciences et Techniques du Sénégal [Senegal Academy of Science and Technology], organised a Western Africa-France Forum on Public Health and Medical Innovation in Dakar, Senegal, on 18 and 19 May 2017.

This jointly selected programme focused on medical cooperation in Western Africa and health technologies, as well as specific infectious diseases, such as malaria and tuberculosis, which are particularly rampant in tropical countries.

For this Forum, our partner L’Oréal organised a Symposium on the theme of “Skin pigment disorders in black skin: scientific advances”.

This Forum is part of the activities of the Academy of Medicine Foundation, and is in line with its mission of promoting French medicine’s partnerships in the world and, more generally, cutting-edge medical practices.

It was officially inaugurated by Prof. Doudou BA, President of the Senegal Academy of Science and Technology (ANSTS), Mr Jean-Marie Dru, President of the Academy of Medicine Foundation (FAM), Prof. Claude Jaffiol, President of the National Academy of Medicine (ANM), Prof. Oumar Sock, Permanent Secretary of the Senegal Academy of Science and Technology (ANSTS), Prof Daniel Couturier, Permanent Secretary of the National Academy of Medicine (ANM) and Dr Jean-Pierre Lamarque, Regional Advisor on World Health for Western Africa.

This Forum brought together health experts from Western African counties and France. The objective was to discuss experiences and medical innovations based on several themes, such as medical cooperation between Western Africa and France, infectious diseases and oncoviruses, health technologies including rapid diagnosis tests, mobile phone use and finally public health. Throughout this last session, health issues linked to rapid urbanisation, emergency treatment in rural areas (obstetrics and neonatology), and skin pigment disorders in Africa were addressed.

This joint Forum was a success in all respects! Both the quality of the presentations and the diversity of the exchanges, as well as the high participation over the two days, bodes well for the future of exchanges and relations between the ANSTS and the FAM.

See videos of the Forum on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/famfr