Building Endogenous Capacity for the Management of Neglected Tropical Diseases in Africa: The Pioneering Role of ICIPE

Introduction Institutionalizing research and training for the management of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) through establishment of a worldclass research centre In a recent article titled ‘‘Neglected No Longer: New Progress on NTDs,’’ Richard Hartfield argues that NTDs are now mainstream because they are on the agenda of three key policy forums_the African Union (AU), the World Health Assembly (WHA), and the Organization of American States (OAS) (http://www.impatientoptimists.org/ Posts/2013/08/Making-Progress-on-NTDs). While this is good news, these pathogens still retard the development and health of rural communities, especially in Africa. Several NTDs are caused by pathogens transmitted by arthropod vectors, principally mosquitoes, tsetse flies, and ticks. New initiatives bring welcome attention and resources, which may finally lead to the control of diseases like sleeping sickness that were reported to have been controlled during decades of intensive control [1]. Yet to get here, a point at which talk of elimination and eradication of some NTDs is possible, has taken years of building African capacity, with considerable support from donors, institutions, and individuals. This historical review highlights the contribution of the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) to knowledge creation and the development of tools and approaches for control of arthropodtransmitted NTDs. We discuss the establishment and growth of the Centre and highlight the vision and research leadership of its founding director, the late Professor Thomas Risley Odhiambo (fondly referred to as TRO), and his successors in establishing this world-class research institution.