§ Mr. David Steelasked the Minister for Overseas Development what aid his Department has given to research on the elimination of bilharzia in Africa; and what experiments have been conducted with such aid.
§ Mr. John GrantDuring the past five years my Ministry has awarded eight grants totalling £864,369 to finance research into the elimination and treatment of bilharzia—schistosomiasis—in Africa. Details of the projects are provided below.
Other grants totalling £267,698 have been given in the same period in support of research into the disease in this country and elsewhere, the results of 67W which are likely to be of general application in controlling bilharzia.
We have pledged support for the international programme of co-ordinated national and international research into the problems of tropical disease which is being planned under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, World Health Organisation
AID TO RESEARCH ON BILHARZIA IN AFRICA 1971–76 Project Country of Primary Research Project Leader or Institution Total Cost £ Duration Physiological studies of tropical productivity including investigation into physiological work capacity of patients with bilharzia. Sudan … Professor J. S. Weiner, Medical Research, Council, Environmental Physiology Unit. 9,301 1 year Pilot study for further work on bilharzia. Sudan … As above 1,600 3 months Epidemiology and pathogenicity of Schistosoma Haematobium in Kenya. Kenya … Dr. G. K. Kinoti, University of Nairobi. 7,200 3 years A long-term study of the effect of irrigation schemes on infective diseases including bilharzia, in the Kano Plains. Kenya … Dr. D. H. Smith, Medical Research Council, Project Kisumu. 345,004 5 years Studies on the immunological effects of repeated parasitic infection. Nigeria … Dr. B. M. Greenwood, Ahmadu Bello University. 15,605 3 years Pilot survey for a long-term study of the effects of local parasitic diseases including bilharzia of Northern Nigeria Communities. Nigeria … Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. 5,000 3 months Contribution towards the costs of the Medical Research Council Laboratories at Fajara in The Gambia which undertake research into local health problems including bilharzia. The Gambia … Medical Research Council. 369,315 Long-term support (3 year budget 1973–76) Contribution to the cost of the Helminthiasis Research Unit at Kumba, United Republic of Cameroon where studies included investigations into the extermination of bilharzia. Cameroon … Dr. B. O. L. Duke 111,344 5 years