Annual Report 2007

Rehabilitation in Nigeria
Fighting discrimination of patients
It is not sufficient to cure patients, people suffering from leprosy especially must have the opportunity to lead a self-determined life once more.
The SER project (socio-economic rehabilitation) in Nigeria caters for 800 patients. 550 of these were affected by leprosy themselves, the other 250 are family members.
DAHW is supporting income-generating activities, for example through micro-credits, it is enhancing school and vocational training and is supporting housing. |n this way people, who were previously discriminated against in their communities, are becoming integrated. The environment of the people is included in the support activities, therefore this project is named “CBR – community based rehabilitation”.
In 2007 DAHW put 61.106 Euros towards this project. During the first six years of its existence the SER/CBR-project in Nigeria received a total of 226.815 Euros from DAHW. For the year 2008 another 65.607 Euros are foreseen.

Stabilising the Immune System
Research project for people suffering from TB/HIV
TB and HIV are the most fatal infectious diseases in the world, if a patient is suffering from both they are even more dangerous. Doctors of the Buganda Medical Centre in Mwanza want to find out whether the intake of low doses of Cortisone can stabilize the immune system for a longer time in patients suffering from a TB/HIV-co-infection.
If this research project were successful, many TB and HIV patients in the poorest countries of the world would have much better chances of surviving.
The scientific study started in the year 2007 and is planned to run for three years. DAHW has contributed a sum of 76.219 Euros towards the total cost of 225.000 Euros.
Furthermore, DAHW is supporting the National TB and Leprosy Programme in Tanzania, putting towards it 506.818 Euros in 2007.

The research projects of DAHW will ensure availability of modern and affordable medicine into the future, too