NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 14 – The African Union Commission, through the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), in partnership with the Government of Kenya will host the 37th General Conference of the International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control (ISCTRC) in Nairobi from September 15–19.
This year’s theme, “Harnessing One Health Technologies and Innovations Towards Eliminating Trypanosomiasis in Africa,” underlines the urgent need for cross-sectoral solutions to combat the disease, which continues to hinder socio-economic development across the continent.
Dr. Huyam Salih, Director of AU-IBAR and Chairperson of ISCTRC, described the conference as “Africa’s scientific heartbeat in the fight against trypanosomiasis.”
He noted: “It is here that science and innovations meet policy, ensuring countries have the knowledge and partnerships they need to overcome this disease.”
The Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council (KENTTEC) is also among the partners.
The conference will be officially opened by Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, who will preside as guest of honour.
More than 100 scientific papers are expected to be presented, covering a wide range of topics including Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), Animal African Trypanosomiasis (AAT), tsetse fly biology and control, as well as the environmental, land use and socio-economic dimensions of the disease.
Delegates will also hear reports from AU Member States, the Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC), research institutions, universities, and international partners such as FAO, WHO, IAEA, WOAH, ICIPE, FIND, DNDi, GALVmed, and the Gates Foundation.
The five-day forum will culminate in the adoption of recommendations to guide research, control, and elimination strategies for the next two years.
Speaking ahead of the event, CS Kagwe said: “Kenya is proud to host the 37th ISCTRC Conference at a historic moment when we have been declared free of human African trypanosomiasis as a public health problem. This is both a milestone and a responsibility, and we look forward to sharing our experience with other African nations while learning from theirs.”
Trypanosomiasis, spread by the tsetse fly, continues to affect both humans and animals across Africa, curbing livestock productivity, agricultural development, and rural livelihoods.
While Kenya was declared by the WHO in 2025 to have eliminated rhodesiense human African trypanosomiasis as a public health problem, animal trypanosomiasis remains a major challenge. Currently, 38 African countries continue to grapple with the human and animal forms of the disease.
Since its inception in 1949, the ISCTRC has convened biennial conferences as a platform for scientists, policymakers, field control workers, and partners to share knowledge, review progress, and shape strategies to combat trypanosomiasis.
The Council is a statutory body of the African Union Commission, with its secretariat housed at AU-IBAR under the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (DARBE).