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LISTEN TO OUR SECOND PODCAST
with Professors Jean Cros of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Toulouse and Yao Potchoo of the University of Lomé.
INTERVIEWS
NOUDY SENGXEU
Lecturer in analytical chemistry at the Laos University of Health Sciences Faculty of Pharmacy, thesis from the University of Limoges (Evaluating the Quality of Antiepileptics
in South-East Asia).
What role did the support you received from
the Fondation Pierre Fabre play?
Noudy Sengxeu: It was an opportunity for me to pursue a doctorate that doesn’t exist in Laos and for which there’s rarely a scholarship. After I got my Master’s degree in quality assurance, I wanted to focus on public health to explore the issues of medication quality and accessibility in Southeast Asia. I couldn’t have done it without the Foundation’s support.
Koffi Kowouvi: In Togo, there’s no way to specialise in galenic pharmacy. Going abroad was the only way to get the training I needed to bring the skill
back to Lomé. Without the Foundation’s support, I wouldn’t have had the financial means to do it: I was very fortunate to gain specific expertise that I share with Togolese students through
things like lectures and lab work, as well as with the Togolese scientific community.
KOFFI KOWOUVI
Industrial pharmacist,
galenic pharmacy assistant, pharmacy curriculum at the Faculty of Health Sciences
at Togo’s University of Lomé, doctorate from the University of Bordeaux (Pharmaceutical Formulation of Methylene Blue for Treating Malaria)
What new prospects have these studies abroad
created for you?
Noudy Sengxeu: The thesis I just defended centres on the poor quality of drugs manufactured in South- East Asia for fighting chronic diseases. My plan is now to develop an initiative to help the local pharmaceutical industry strengthen its analytical and quality control capacities, which will involve training, awareness-raising and acquiring the appropriate equipment.
Koffi Kowouvi: As we have a Foundation-funded galenic pharmacy laboratory at the University of Lomé, conditions have now been met for this key discipline to be a complete part in the sector’s activities and in securing the drug chain. Things have now been set in motion: this year, I’m supervising a thesis on professional practice in galenic pharmacy, a first in Lomé, and am also helping optimise locally- formulated products to improve treatment for people with albinism.
I was very fortunate
to gain specific
expertise that I share with
Togolese students.
GOOD TO KNOW
Midwifery training in Laos
Since 2015, the support programme for the Department of Midwives of the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Health Sciences of Laos has been contributing to efforts to combat maternal and child mortality with the following results:
• 2 teachers with an international Master’s degree from Chiang Mai University, Thailand,
and 2 others being trained in 2020;
• 36 teaching missions;
• 101 midwives with a Bachelor’s degree since the start of the project, 87%1 working as midwives and
13%1 as teachers, with 78%1 working in the provinces;
• 64 students supported in 2020.
Outlook 2021-2025
In view of the encouraging results of this project, a new phase is in development for a new five-year project (2021-2025) designed to achieve sustainable development objectives throughout the Laotian territory. Training activities will be offered from the central to provincial levels, including initial and continuing training for teaching staff, students and alumni, as well as nursing staff. In parallel, there will be awareness campaigns organised to address everyone from the general public to health professionals to even the most isolated communities, as well as activities to update and equip training and health centres in the most remote districts in need.
1 Data on 76 alumni from the classes of 2015 to 2019.
Fondation Pierre Fabre – 19