Q&A: Harmonise the Efforts of African Scientists

ADDIS ABABA, Sep 24 (IPS) - As many as 100 million people in Africa suffer from schistosomiasis, a chronic illness caused by a parasite associated with freshwater snails. The schistosoma flatworm causes a debilitating illness that can damage internal organs, and stunt growth and cognitive development of children.

The harmful socioeconomic impacts of the condition are second only to malaria, yet it can be controlled with a single annual dose of the drug praziquantel.

Sanaa Botros, professor of pharmacology at Egypt's ministry of scientific research, is one of the leading researchers into the treatment of schistosomiasis and other tropical diseases.

She was one of five women honoured recently by the African Union for their scientific achievements.

IPS: What are some of the results of your research?

SANAA BOTROS: (For a long time in Egypt) the only available drug for schistosoma was imported. A local company formulated a drug. I did the comparison with the imported one and proved that they have equal curative effect. Now we are using the local one all over the country. This has saved the country a lot of money.

I believe when you can recommend to the government that the medication produced at home is equal to the imported one in treating the disease, that is quite an achievement.

Some of my other research has been on one of the newly introduced drugs for schistosomiasis whose producers claimed 98 to 100 percent cure.

When I studied the drug, it was defective. Based on my report, the government stopped the distribution of this drug and another African country reversed its plan to buy this drug.

IPS: You are a member of the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostic Innovations (ANDI). What's the purpose of this network?

SB: When we started this work, we found great capacity scattered with no linkages.

I may be doing good work (on schistosomiasis) in Egypt but the one in South Africa does not know anything about me or the things I do. We have very good work in countries like Nigeria and Guinea concentrating on malaria. But these efforts are not harmonised.

To harmonise the efforts is be a very important point for African scientists.

IPS: Some say the African Union has neglected the area of scientific research and technology. Do you share that view?

SB: I actually believe the attitude is changing very much. I can see that from the ANDI. We have been working for nearly a year and we are now formulating a business plan for the execution. So I can say that there is a sort of realisation that unless we push science and technology at the level of the AU, we cannot achieve development.

IPS: What do you think have been the consequences of the low priority placed on science to this point?

SB: You cannot develop unless you focus on research, science and technology.

IPS: How do you see the role of women in Africa in the area of scientific research?

SB: In my institute as well as all Egypt, we have a very high percentage of women scientists. But it does not mean everything is rosy.

We have women councillors, women police officers, women working in different fields. But we have problems with women's representation in parliament.

At the Africa level, I believe we women have to push a lot further to ensure our roles still increase. I know a lot of non-governmental organisations are working on women's empowerment in Africa. But we do not form enough linkages among different countries.

IPS: When was the most challenging period in your career?

SB: It was when I started as a young scientist, immediately after I did my PhD. People did not know me and when I asked them to sponsor publication of my research, they rejected me saying, "Who is Sanaa Botros from Egypt?"

I think my being an African and a woman partially contributed.

IPS: What does the prize from the African Union mean to you?

SB: It means a lot because the appreciation and recognition from the continent means Africa is watching me and that initiates me to do more and realize the continent expects more from me.

When you are a pharmacologist staying in the labs, you do not feel rewarded because you do not see the patients getting cured like clinicians do. This is our reward.

IPS: If girls from rural villages or poor urban neighbourhoods somewhere in Africa sought your advice on how to become like you, what would you tell them?

SB: Do anything to be educated. In my childhood and youth, I fortunately had very good teachers who were very enthusiastic about my interests and that helped me a lot in shaping my current situation.

So I believe teachers are key personalities who determine the future of African girls.

(END/2009)

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