Steering committee for onchocerciasis control in the Volta River Basin Area : report of its twenty-first session, Rome 1-2 September 1977

DPt (\ I; I ili.tI r.i 1 -[i RXS1B,ICIED I f I STEIAI]IG COI![iITfEE FOR OI{CHOCH]CL4.SIS COI{M,OI I1,] Ti]E YOITA R]Yffi BASIT AREA RXPORT OF ITS flTEIITY-F]RST SESSIOI,I Rone. 1-2 Septenber 1977 CO}ITENTS Paee Para.gnaph* A OPENING OF TID SESSIOI'T I 2 3 L l_ 1 2 4 5 6 R 9 1B 2t 24 5B E F B. EIECTIOII O}' TFtr CIil.MMA]T C. ADOPTION OF TIfi AGEI{DA D. IITAITEA.S ARISI}trG trROIJ T}IE PPJV]OUS SESSIOII Iiandlirg of data E\raluation of cost of hogranrme - iflanagement Sruwey Report t\.m5.s trainirg Centre for the Blind. Membership of the Ecolegical ?anel tr"inancj-aI a-rran€ements for DAP REPORT O}I RNCEI,TI IROGBA],flE ACTIVIT]ES COiVSIDtrRAIIOI'T OF DOCIJTvmi\itS T0 Btr) SIDI{ITIED TO mIE JO]I\TT COORD]]IA'I]IIG COIfl,IITIEE Progress report for 1977 and Bud.get for 1978 Annual reports of adirisory bod.ies : ID,A'?, STAC, m Report on extension Socio-economic development in the Yolta River Basin, Annual Reportl 1977 Report on SA? \Torking Group on Crj-teria G. FOirRtlI SESSIOi'I OF TIIE JOIIII COORDINATING COI',II,IIIIEE H. OTi{ER IilATTIRS Irrformati-on Building Preparation for the next period of flnancirig 7 4 6 7 1O 35 42 41 4+ I ABII!.NGHTDNIS FOR [I]E ]IE(I SESSIOIf J. I.DOPT]OI.[ OF TTM RIPORT K. CIOSE OF SESSIO]'T Aneex I - Participants 7 7 7, 45 46 47 -1- A OPE$ING OF T}il SDSS]O}I I. fl:e trryenty-first sesslon of the Steering Conrmittee for Onchocerciasis Control in the Volta Rivei Basin area was opened at IAO.Ilead.quarters on fll.usday, 1 September 1977 by Il'Ir. S. Der,-ning (',Iorld Bank), Ci:airman of the prerlous session. On behalf of the C6mnrif,f,ss L,ir. Denning rielconed Dr. iifG. Cands"u, Inclcpendent Chai:man of the Jojnt Coordinatirrg Committee. B. EL,I3CTI0I]]]]]]]]-I 0F tIE CiLltriI,[AI[ 2. On the proposal of L,tr..i[. ls. Bazin (l,lUO), seconded by Xtr. G. Pen:racchio(tnrmr), L{r. T,s.Il. Aribisara (r'.to) vras elected chajrroam. C. ,\DOPTIOII OF TID AGE}IDA 1. fhe following ager:d.a was adopted by the Committee : 1. Openi4g of the session 2. Election of Chajrrnarr 7. r'tdoption of the agenda 4. Iviatters arising fron the previous session : (") IJanclling of d.ata (nnentieth session report, para.l!) (U) lllvaluation of cost of Programme - Illanagement. Sr.rrvey Report (thentieth session report, pa.rar 16) (") ftrnis tbairufu:g Centre for the Bt::ra ($ventieth session report, p*a. 55) (a) I{enrbership of Dcological Panel (t\rentieth session report para. 6-i) (") Financial a^rrai:gements for oo.{P (thentieth session report para. 70) 5. Report on reeent Prograrrme activltj-es (neetir:gs in Abid.jan, Accra, operations in Ben:i.n) 6. Consideration of d.ocuments to be transm:Ltted to the Joint Coordinating Comrittee (") Progress report for 1977 and Budget for 1978 (includ.ir:g arrJlex on transport) (tr) Annual reports of adirisory bod.les : EDA?, STAC, EP (") Report on extension (a) Socio-economic development in the Volta River Basin - ,tnnual- Report 1977 (e) Report of SAP Y/orking Group on Criteria 7. Fourth session of Joint Coordj-neting C6nrmi f,lgs 8. Other matters 9. r\mangements for the next session 10. ;idoption of the report 11. Close of session -2- D. I.IATTERS ARISIIG FROIi T]i{E PBEVIOUS SESSION 4. Iiand].i-ng of data (Twentieth session reportp para. 2r) : 3AO trfo:med the Committee that the eonsultant who had been vrorkilg on the data system was expected. jn Rome in Octobcr; he would. then oontact i-'[HO Geneva to jrrvestigate whether the systems vrer€ compatlble. In the neanbime th:is subject had been discussed rr'rith the Chief of the Programne t s Eeonomi.c Development Unlt and nopartlcular problems were foreseen. i[{0 requested, that arrangements be mad.e for the eonsultant to visit Ouagadougou for about 10 days for discussions with the hograrune persoru:eI concezned . \7i-th zegarcl to the Prograrme l s statistical person-neI, ilTIO jnfo::lred the Corrnittee that a mmber of candid.ates viere arriilable for the post of Statistieian arrcl a selection would be mad.e shortly. It was plarmed thatr j:r futurel the statistici-an should diulde his time between 'ir'i{O Headquarters ancl the fieId. to ensrr::e close coordination with the Programe tean. A replacement vras sought for the statistical clerk who had recently been transfe::red to a.nother Division at i/HO. 5. E\raluation of cost of Pro '(t\uentieth s'rssion@ffi26 ort on tosts of veetor control operations, vrhich had been distributed. at the prevtous session, \TIIO l-nfozued the Cormlittee that tl:is forrned a major part of the re- evaluation ocercise being r.rndertaken by the Prograr'rme. It was hoped to implement some of the recommendati-ons during L97&-79. Ihe Bank, supported. by tr'40, congratulated 1TIIO on irritiati::g this open discussion of manageroent and. bud.getary i.ssues. 6. f\rnis lralni.l:g Ce4lre !o4 the_ lfirlQ (tventieth session report, para.!5) 1VHO lnformed the Conurittee that, as sr-lgsested by UI'ID? at the previous eessi.on, eontact had been made r,vith the tbni-s Iraining Centre for the Blirtd which had reacted very positively to the question of eooperation jn this field. TLrere was eonsid,erable olncern about the pljght of the blind in the Prcgrame a::ea anA (:n rriel of the next sta6e of fi:rancjng) iii'lDPts proposal had been most ti-neIy. '1. Contact had. also bcen rrad.e vrith the Djrection des Affajres Socj-ales ln Paris which had. a good prograrirre for the trai:rj:rg of bIind. teachers. iTIIO was now awalting d.ocr.rmentation on the Arrrrual 17or1d Conference of the Blj::d wl::j-ch had taken place i:r ?aris on B August. IAO stressed. the Smportance of the reilteg::ation of the b1incl ilto the loea1 eomm'.rriity arrd. no:mal cormercj-aI lndustries after training; xxoreover there shoulcl be no direct 1i-rik with onehoeerei-asls as sueh. B. Ilembersh,-tp of tJ:e Ecological Pqqql (thentieth sessj-on report, pa::a.64) , 17H0 info:rned tire Corurittee that Professor Gi-11esr epideniologist, flom the liverpool School of 'Iropical Lted.ichrez UK, had. been appoirted to the Pane1. and. UI[D? had a6reed. to ta]:e over the aquatic biologist. \ilIO had proposed a ter^restrj-aI ecologist to the Bank vrhich rnas rerrj.elving the cluestj-on. The reeeting scheduled. to take place on 29-30 August had been postponed due to the inabillty of the Chai::n:ar: of the Panel to attend.. It rvas consid.ered. adrrlsable for neetj::gs of the Panel to be held jn conjr.urction with neetirgs of other advisory groups, a.nd noting the STAC mceti-ng scheduled for B-10 Novemberl the dates of 7-8 liovember were proposecl. FAO sa.id that froro corr€spondence with the Ctrairnran of the ?errel it appeared that he rvould. be avaj-labIe at that time. UI{DP requested. that UIIEP be contaete<l at an early d.ate as thei-r represent- ative had not attended the previous roeetilg. -1- g. Finoncial arrangenents for EDAP (Srentieth session report para. ?O) 2 ffre Bar::r :::formeA tlrc Conerittee of tkre dlscussions that had talren place witli the Chairman of the Xconomic Developnent Advisory Pane1 v'rho had recluested a larger budget for exterrled. activj-ties of the Panel. The Bank had requested the-Chairuan to put forwardl precise proposals for its consideration. It rnas noted that the arrarrij*ei,teirts for EDi'P differ fron those for other Pcnels but these may not necessaril;'be nafurtained. .\t present the cost of two meetings a year was in the rar:6e, of j.; 40.000 - I\ 50.OOO. An1.6""1"ion regarding an extension of the Panells activities shoufrl not, holvevere be based so1e1y on financial considerations but al-so on thelr useful-ness. The suggestion was nade that fiel-d ioissions night be paid for fron ?rogranne fi::rds. 10. It was agreed, that the question of financiq3 of the Panel lvoulcl be left open for fr:rther discussion behveen the agencies. .rlDa REPORT 01{ IIECEIIT Ptl0GR,Aln,'E IICIIVITIES 11. \,TIO reported on tlre joint meetir.rg of the Csmmif,f,sss wirich had. bcen hosteti. J-n ,ibi-d jair in nent. At this meetirrg research ancl training, e extension of the Programrae area, tire fii,*r:rcirrg actlvitj-es had been revievrecl. The }'IOCs then ou activities in relation to the Oncho""-"t^."is Co ilational Onchocerciasis June by the I-vory Coast Govern- conomic d,evelopment, the proposed of the Progpa.mme and information tlined their ovrn role ancl ntrol Pro6;ra::ure. lZ. The riOCs had. strongly supportecl tlie vievi tlrat emphasis be given to the development of suitable chemotherapy. fhey vrere satisfied. r,vith the hogaltnels trainir:g activities ::nc1 recognised. the need for careel' strr-ictures for non- medical personnel in thejr own couutries. Follon'ing the presentation of a paper olt economic development tirere had been considerable discussion on the -question of extension and the countries particuli'rrlY j:rvolved hacl offered. their iult cooperation i.n providing eII lnfornation require,:-- for compilation of the report to the JCC. \,TIO had. remind.ed. ttre participating countries of their obligation to pay the conf,ributioirs detailed in tire indivj-cluaI country protocol aird had. receiveC a positivc response. 15s lTOCs had. ind.icatecl support to the information activities. Certaiu countries, such as'Ghana ancl Senin had in fact alreacly organized special Onchocercj-asis tveelis. ;-3. \,rTiO confirneC thet tlte r,reetir4; had been exceptionally constructive and there y74s 1111s,nir':rous agreer:rent that sirnif3r'neetiqqs shoulcl be he1d. in future. fhe next meetirg woulcl talce place in Cotonou in L97B at the invitation of the Peoplets Republic of Benj-n. 14. Ilr ansver to questi-ons fron tire Bank, rYIIO explained tirat the IIOCs in Ghaira, nenin anci Ivory Coast were very active and- offered ready support to the ?rogramne. FAO ad.d.ecL tl:at from irdormation recently received, coordination betlveen the i,trOC in G-hana ancl the Upper liegional LEricultural Developircnt Progra:rme ylas assuled- by a specially formed Onchocerciasis Unit' L5. The reirort of the;\bidjan neeting had been sent to the members ot'the Steerir:g Conmi f,f,ss l,rho coi:gratulateci i'ffiO on this in:itiative and expressed satisfacti-on at tlee obvior;.s stlccess of the nceting. -+- F 16. IiIiO al-so j-r::flormecl tire Conn-lttee that the Progreimre had given its fu11 supporttoaorgatlized.bytheVestAfricanCo11ege of Physicians in Lccra. ftris Serninar., rvhich rrad. been held fron 6 - B Ju1y, had been attendecl by about lOO ;::rrtrcipants fro:,r liberia, Ga;c.bia and I'l-i6eria as well as Ghana, including students fron the iredical- School of the University of G?:ana. The B-man delegation frou tne ltogranine L:.acl made presentations concernj-r:g the structure, financi::g apfl airrs of the Progra:,:ne, the epiderriology, pathology and ge:.:.cral features of cnchocerciasis, the present status of dn:g development, the biology and. confrol of the vector, ar,t1 econo:-'ric developnent. An exhibition of naps anri. photographs nnd- a <l.emonstration of S.deranosr:m colo- ni-zation h:Ld been set u1r. The participants irad. s]:oln consid.erable interest in the activities of the Progr:.rr:e and q.ueri-es haii been raised concerning the teciu:iques and methocls rlsecl.o frrterest hacl been shovlr: in ti.e possibilities open for training and concern 1:-"d heen expresseci regerd.ilg the need for g3eater col1aboration fron the participating govcrrulents. 17. I/I{0 repor ted. that vector control activi-ties hacl novr been extended to the Phase IIf zone end the GoverLment of Benin had conf,ributed greatly to the smooth run:rlng of the operations in that country through tI:e provision of laissez-passers to ?rograr.me persolrnel concerned, and- -bhrough the participation of the Minisf,ry of ll-ealtir in a clernonstratioi: flight ',vlrich serwed to i:rform the local populations about the aerial spra;rlry;. lhtlns of f\re} haci been imported into Benin, fron fii-ger', wliicli r.vou-l-d subsequently be refilled. on the spot. COI]SIJIXiATIOI'] OII DOCU,,1]JiI'IS TO ]],i fltA}]SIiITTED TO T}IE JOI}IT COOHTIIIAII]IG C0lr,ll.IIT[]lE 18. Progqqg1lrppo4t for L977 anti Burlget for 1978 : 1,TIO presented the hogress Report for L977 e and the Plan of Action and Br.rdget for 1978 as prepared. for the Joj-nt Coorclinatitg Couuittee. The nenbers consiclereci this docr:ment i. substantlal improver:ei:t over the previous year. tlol,rever, the Ind.ependent Chai-zroan and L\O felt it :a:ight be preferarble to present tlre annual progress report separately as iiacL beeil done i-n previous years. The Bank felt that in view of its Ier:gtiri a conprehensive surlmary of the tirree parts of the d.ocr..unent should be included. 19. It rvas agreed th.:.t tlie l-ist of sf,uclies proposecl for further investigation in the section on econoni-c clevelopnent r,vould be revj-sed in accordanee rvith the discussions lrltich had taken place di.tri4g tire iJD-r-P neeti:41. 20. A nu,nber of otl:ezr minor cornients v'rere made by tire Connittee wleich iiTIO agreed to incorporate in tire final dociment. 2L. : XtrAj?, Si-:'-Cz IiP : I{oting that the anni-:a1re1lortoft]re]JconomicDeve1oprnent,^'dv@r-trad.tobec1eared'by the Bank before the Steering Comlittee it v{as agreed tha.t a letter would be sent by the Con'urlttee tirough ti:e Ban-lc to thc Ch,aj:.-,ran of EDAP recluesti::g him to expedite the report. 22. t/ith regard to the arurual report of Stt':.C, :'/I{O explained that this h,ad. beerl preperred by the Chairrnrn of the Comr,ri ttee and. circulated to other merrbers for their a,greemelt. filJO had a ferv corurents to cllscltss v,rith the Chai:rran of STAC prior to f,ransmissiolr of tire relrort to the fndepenclent Cirairman of the JCC. The report was cler:rec'. bJ. trc Steeriilg Comnrittee. -5- 23, rhe committee a6reed that the report of the last neeting of theEcological- Panel shor-rld. be transnittecl to the Joint Coordinating Committee andF:\0 r-lnd.ertook to clear this rrith the panel nenbers. 24. Report on exteilsion : lillO presented tne paper on exteniion of the present Programae area prepared at the request of the t]:ird. session of flre JointCoordinatir:g Cornnittce. Thls paper irrcorporates all tl-re infornation available on the proposed areas snd tlrat collected. by a number of Frograr,rne personnel. The areas concerned. are affected b;, onchocereiasis and have a potential fordevelopme:rt ; they are contigr-rous to the present OCP area. It r.ray be thattlte LTall area, being quite separate, oruht to be considered in a d.lfferent contort. i'/I{O enphasized. ti:at, as indicated to the IrTOC neeti::g in Abidjan, any decision on extension was the responslbility of the JCC, 25. kcept in Ivory Coest lrhere there is adequate infozu.:,tion available topemrit control to be started anytJ-me fron 1978 onwsrds, essential data islackir:g on the other areas to the south i-.s. Beni_n, Gharre and,rogo, andfirther stud.ies are required. 26. For fvory Coast the'cost of implenentlng control woul-d. be about{i 11500r0OO over two years. Total eost of conirol ancl studies combined. would ue ii 5r52Brooo. 27. The nembers congriltull-atcd the Program.-,rs Dja.sctor on lroducing such a comprehensive docr.ment. Ilowever, the llank sr-rg'gested the presentation be modified to explain holv present bound.ari-es of the Itogran ,,e area were defi.ned, whether tlley are stil1 acceptable, ,lnd on what basis tire nelv boundarles havebeen selected. ft v'rr.s felt that it would be appropriate to contact the donorgovernments to d.iscuss the i:aplications of tire <i.oci-ment prior to the JCC. 28. .'TIO explained the diificulty of givir:61 precise arlsr/vers to some of thequestlons raised before tiie comi:letion of tLre pre1i,'i11il.y stud.ies d-etailed inthe report which are desi-gned to f111 the gaps in,xesent lmolvledge. Theboundaries of the OCI' area rT ere dran'rn up on the basis of l,rhat rvas ls1own ofthe d'istribution of the vector at that tjrre but, as a result of reseamch undertaken si-nce the start of the Prograraie, partly in relation to tire rej-n- vasion problen, there were clear teci::rical 6;rounds to justify a realignmentof the border in tire soltth-vrest. Ihe iLrli ares. rxsy hr.ve to be considered asa separate progra^f,)me in conjrlrction witi: Gujter. and Senegal, rather than an exterislon of tire cument OCP errea but sucir a decisior,,rot'rld'depcncl on tireresult of f\.rrtirer sf,ud.ies. 29. UI'TDP, tr'AO and thc Independent Chairman of the JCC consiclered thedocunent net the request of the JCC ancl. I'/IIO a"greed to anend the irrtrod.uctionto take accourrt of the cor::^tents of the Bank. 70. Soeio-econonic d opnent in the -Vg1la River Basin. Lnaual Report t977The docunent on ec oflomis developnent for submlssion to the JCC had alread.ybeen studied by tjre icononic )evetopnent Advisory Pane1 end \/IiO infoured theC6rnrni f,f,sg that i t t'rou]-d be n.rrcnded irr 1ine with conurents receiveC especially wi-th regard. to the topics for specill- jrrve stigati-on. 31. FAo felt the docr.rnent shoull have more a6pricultural content. The Bank stiggested tha"t in presentkrg the report l?TlO should indicate that it 1,ras notintended. to be a eonprehensive docunent. 6 , 52. IJI\TDP erpla.ined that in previous years the econorri s r.r.=t had been compi.led flom ir::formatlon received fron trc lllD? Reslc'lent ,Representatives of the seven countries anc'l the cr.rrrent docuaent l,ras much more coraplete. 33. T'rI{0 felt that more cletalled idorre.tion lvoul-cl result in too bullgr a document but i:f any ;rrojects of i-nportance r-rere seen to be misslng by FirO or the Ba;:k it would still be possible to i:rsert then before tlre final revlsion. 34. The members aclcrolvleclged tL:e report to be hrghly satisfactory and con-gratulated the OC? staff concerned. It !'/as ag'reed th:.t the docunent rsoufd. be subnitted to the Joint Goordinating Oonrrittee after the above anendnents had been i-ncorporatec).. 35. Ileuor t on S,\P 'llorlcint Grou: on Criteria : r',IiiO revielved the report of the Q irD IiIorkir:g C-roup on Criteria for resettlerrrent, and- ren-Lndeci tLre Conrnittee that these criteria haci been tlra"l'in up at the request of tlre JCC. Ihe vorkir:g Group had. been convened on the sug.4estion of S'LIC. The criterier lyere intended not to designate rroncho-freeil greas, whicl:. in the absence of chenotherapy coulcl take 1! years to achieve, but river valleys where people v,'ou1d no longer be exfosed to the rj-sk of the drastic effects of the dj-sease or of becon:irrgblind. The group considered an Ai:nual- Biti:rg Rate.(:LBE) below IOOO fIie" p"= Ilran per year eued an r\rurr-raI l[bansrni ssion Potential (.r.m) below IOO ilfect1ve sta'ge O.volvuius per itan per year, together represeirted an accel:tabIe and. s.enfe exposrrre. 16. TIie Bank, enquirir:g about the finality of tl:.c report, consldered it vtouLd be desirable for tite crj-teria to be allierl nore closely to economic development irr general than to resettlenent exclusively, lvhich J-s only one cspect of economic developnent. 37. Tl:e Cor'lnittee strrj€les'bec. that, as the criteria were rnentioned in the a;.rnuaI report of SI'AC, lt r,voulcl be prefcrabl-e to cjrct.late the S.LP repor-i at the JCC after it had been reviervecl by SI'AC at lts llovenber rneeting. G. FOIIIITII Srlsiiioll 0i' qlm JOIli? COOIDIIi-\TI1'IG COil .ITIr]D 18. Ihe Ind.ependent Chairir:an reported tl:rert following his vi-slt to Kurrait all atratlgements vrere bej:4; fi:ralizecl for tl:e Iourtir Session of the JCC to be helc1 ov1 5r 6 and I Decenber. Iacilities vyere available for eonvenir€ a neeting of 60'- 70 menbers around a tabl-e. Sinilar neeti:rgs had been held jn the sane room. 39. The itinister of Health wi].l open the session on 5 Decenber. .fr.cconrmodationis beit:g reserwed at the Sj:.er:'to::r e-Lnc] ililton hotels. If necessary, v-isas wil1 be provided. at thc'airport on arrival but for tl:-ls tl:e Indeoencient Chairrnan shorr.ld be inforrred.. 'rbansport will be providcd in Kuvrait and hotel- accorrrrodationtion wil-I be offered to d.elegatioirs fron the recipie:rt cor-ir:.tries. TheGoverment ancl the Ind.eirendent Chairnran r,;ifl each host a cocktail parry. Adequa'te English speakirlg staff ,,vi11 be available on the spot but ilre Chajrnernis arranglr4i: for inter-oreters, transl-ators end f,bencir- speak'irrg secretaries.fhe Goverrurent ]rad indicated that -Lrabic interpretation was not necessary. +O. 'Ihe fndependent Chairnan liad been requested by the Goverru.:ent of Kuwaitto inyite Saudi:trabia, Qatar anc,, the Unj_ted,\rs| ?;irirates to attend the JCC.A private r,reeting rvi-th the Anbassaclors of these aird otner Arab cou-ntries woul_d take place before the Sesslor:. -7 - a 4A, Th.e Goverirnent of l(ulvait had requested a fih in arabic to be shown on televisj-on before and d-r;ri-ng the sesslon. Ihe Ba;:-lr filn is alread.y available ln Arabic and ',,iHO undertook to enqui-re about the possibility of an arabic version of the BBC fih in tine for tire mcetilg, l'/i-iO inforned the Conrrittee that a new fih: being producec'l. by Cygnet Guild Connwrications I,td,. would be read.y in tj-ne for the JCC ; this fi}: r,'rould be iir english on1y. rf 11r Oll-trR iliAT',ltrRS 42. Infornation : The Ba"nJ< indicated, its j-nterest jl zeo6irring nevrspaper clipplr:gs concerirlrr,g tire Progrannrg 1.sl1ish rvoulcl provide useful bac[ground for its firnd. raising activitj-es. r,/i{O explai-necl that thc clipping service v,ras hanclled by i/I{O ileadcS,rarters antl. offcred to talre this ratter up wit}i the Infor- aatj-oil Dlvision. F:\O inriiccted that i-t also trad. i:ateriaf lrhich it nou]-cl provide to lfilO to conplete the jdornation available. 43. BuiJ-di-irg : i7l-I0 j-nforned the Comnittee of the progress bciilg nad,e toward.s the construction of a heaclquarters brrildin6 in Ouagaclor{Tou. \'/ork had already started ancl the founclations of the builc'lir1g r,voulcr. be Iaic1 ciuring the nonth of September. Ihe work rvas beir:g suDerv'ised by f,hs BuilCing & transport Gfficer of the ii'TIO Regior:,al Office i:r Brazzavllle, lvho visits Or.lagadoqlou regularlyfor this purpose. Tne Corrnittee was inforried of the need for a conference room as an addition to the rrresent construction ancL iTIlO agreed to provide details of this for discussion at a futr";re session. 44. Frenaratiotr for the next period of financine : [1:.e Steerlr:g C6rn'ri f,f,sg noted tlrat since the PAG Report of 1973e the thjrrlri::te about tire hogramne has evohrecl as a result of the exr:erience acquired. Tlie Bar:Jl proposed tiut in order to lay a proper basis for the next phase of the hogramre, i.e. the periocl after L979, a high level rri ssi6i'1 be fielded by the Sponsoring Agencies to ca:ry out a eonprehensive revievr. fhe rrission vroulcl ai:n at presenting a sound basi-s for the uext p}:ase of tire onchocerci-asis control operations and related econonic clevelopnent ; rHO would take nain respoirsibility for the onchocerciasj-s eontrol aspect and thc \iorId Bank for the econonic d.enelopment aspect. ft was s',ggestecl that the missj-on start work 1n Janrary 1978 with a vieiv to harrrr,ga c d.raft report by June 1978 for subuission to the JCC jrl Decenrber L978. r. -,\TRA]TGD[J1,ITS IOR'Ii-tr I.INXT SESS]O].I 45" It lvas agreed- thr"t t'he Steeri-r:g Co-:ittee v.rould neet on Saturday J Decenber in Kuwait. J. /D0PTI01'T Ol' TInl i'LL-!ORT 46. Tne Cor:::ittee revievrecl and adopted the present report. K. cIJosE t)Ir SPSSIOII 47. The Cor:r:ittee ex;oressed. its appreciation to the Cirajrnan for tire excel-l-ent facilities proviclec', to the session, and tLrc irospitatrit;' offered. -B- PARTICIPAIITS Ai'll\THt I l.iembers of the Steering Cormnittee i'Ir T.S.B. Aribisala, FAO IIr I:. ls. Bazjn, i?I{O LIr S. Denning, riorld Bank l,Ir G. Pennacchic, UIID? CI:ai-rnaer 9 !1er participante Dr Ii.G. Candau, Ind.ependent Chaj::rran of the Joint Coord.inatjrrg Committee Secretariat rlAO IIr C.G. Groon, Senior Officer (lot:-cy and PLann:rrg), Agricrrltr.rral Se:rrj-ce s Dlvision ITr iI.J. Sharpstonl Economist, iTestern Africal,orld. Bank lTHO l.Ir A. Groenend.ijk, Director, Dirrision of Br-td.get artd Einencet HA IIr C. Vjgnes, Chief, Constitrrtional- and legal lXatters, IIQ Ifir J.F. l?a1sh, Eetomologistl Yector Control Unit, Onchocercj-asj-s Control kogramne L[r J.D.irl. ][arr1 ft:.tomologist/niologist, Onchocerclasis Control ?rograrme Lliss R. Villars, Adr:-inist::ative Officer, Onchocerclasis Control ?rogramme