Photo source: USAID
Dr. Dorkenoo has been Togo’s Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) Program Coordinator for six years. Togo was the first country in Africa to interrupt transmission of LF, due in no small part to her passion and commitment. Dr. Dorkenoo oversaw mass treatments with ivermectin and albendazole in the seven districts in the country that where LF was found. Later, she oversaw the surveillance process, confirming that disease transmission had stopped via transmission assessment surveys conducted in 2009 and 2012.
Dr. Dorkenoo continues to participate in the fight against LF by designing effective, highly innovative approaches to conducting nationwide surveillance, as well as advocating for LF morbidity management and conducting nationwide lymphedema management training programs for healthcare workers. She has led nationwide integrated mapping of the burden of three neglected tropical diseases (NTD), an integrated NTD coverage survey and other activities in the field. While preferring to stay out of the limelight, she is a valuable resource for the integrated NTD program, providing technical assistance and public health and laboratory experience. Her scientific integrity and expanding list of publications have helped draw attention to Togo’s successes in NTD control.