Yaobi Zhang

Field Programme Co-ordinator

Schistosomiasis Control Initiative

Fieldwork Health & Safety

SCI Fieldwork Background

• SCI is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

• Assisting several African countries with their national control programmes on schistosomiasis and STHs (now NTDs)– Uganda, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Tanzania, Zambia

(and others)– Provide regular treatment to school children and

adults as high risk of infection

• Monitoring and surveillance– Infection and morbidity

Health & Safety in the field

THE No. 1 priority

Before Travelling abroad

Risk assessment for every trip

http://www.fco.gov.uk/travel

• Security situation in the country and in the area

Get prepared!!!

• Vaccinations

• MedicineAnti-malarial, anti-diarrheal, First Aid pack

• Self protectionCream, travel mosquito net, disinfecting

wipes, etc

Accommodation

Somewhere secure and safe !

Food & Drinks

• Only properly cooked food, not roadside snacksBring some cereal bars with you

• Only bottled water or boiled water, or if you want, local beer

Zambia

Lunch at school

Ghana

‘Fufu’ preparation

Personal equipment

• GPS

• Mobile phone

• Torch

• Strobe

Transport

• Use your own transportation if possible

• Always travel during day time

• Stay with your team

Transport: just a car is often not enough

You sometimes get stuck

(car pairs or winch)

Solving problems is part of fieldwork

But sometimes the metal is not as strong as a tree

Laboratory examination

Height/weight/blood

Ultrasound examination

Fieldwork…….…is not easy…..but can be fun

Thank you