In recent times, several diseases have reduced very markedly in incidence in The Gambia, particularly malaria, trachoma and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib); and although Hepatitis B virus (HBV) may not be eliminatable in the foreseeable future, the dramatic reduction of HBV carriage rates in the vaccinated cohorts under the Gambia Hepatitis Intervention Study puts the country ahead in controlling this major cause of liver disease.
The quality of research focusing on these diseases and others is outstanding in The Gambia. Much of this is attributable to the exceptional partnership with the Gambia Government Ministry of Health, the MRC Unit’s investment in facilities and infrastructure, as well as its long-term research activity, including accumulated data and samples. These are core advantages in terms of rapid results and research competitiveness.
The Gambia’s neighbouring countries represent much of the ecological and epidemiological diversity of West Africa that needs to be studied in relation to Disease Control and Elimination. In some respects, The Gambia is ideally situated, as its immediate neighbour Senegal has strong research institutions and public health infrastructure that are already enabling initiatives towards enhanced disease control and possible elimination. Through a variety of network activities, research partnerships are also developing with other countries in the sub-region including Guinea Bissau and Conakry to the south and Mali to the north, offering new opportunities to understand the disease epidemiology of West Africa.
