On April 11, the UNICEF Chief of Health and Nutrition, Dr. Robert Sherpbier, and his two colleagues who work on nutrition and China-Africa collaboration, visited National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD). Director Zhou Xiaonong, Deputy Director Xiao Ning and Li Shizhu, and professionals from Department of Malaria, Soil-Transmitted Helminthes and Global Health Center of NIPD attended the meeting.

Dr. Robert Sherpbier introduced the scope of work of UNICEF China on promoting children’s health, and he also updated UNICEF China’s collaboration with Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) on China-Africa health initiatives.

Director Zhou Xiaonong welcomed Dr. Sherpbier and his colleagues. He introduced China’s parasitic diseases control programmes and NIPD’s collaboration with its partner institutes in Africa and other Asian countries. Dr. Qian Menbao and Dr. Wang Duoquan introduced the epidemic status of soil-transmitted helminthes in China and the China-Tanzania Pilot Project of Malaria Control, respectively.

During the meeting, Dr.Scherpbier and Director Zhou Xiaonong discussed the possibility of collaboration on parasitic disease control, information sharing, data analysis and reached an initial consensus.