This event was attended by Alain Mérieux, President of the Mérieux Foundation, and representatives of several authorities from Madagascar and other countries: Professor Luc Samison, Director of the Charles Mérieux Center for Infectious Disease, Lalanirina Gabrielle Rajoelison, Vice-President in charge of International Relations, Heritage and External Affairs, Dr Rado Razafimahatratra, Head of Healthcare, and Pr Heriniaina Ramanankierana, Head of Scientific Research. The celebrations provided an opportunity to present the vision, activities and prospects of the Charles Mérieux Center for Infectious Disease and the Mérieux Foundation, and to bring all the stakeholders together afterwards for an event followed by a lunchtime cocktail reception.

“The team at the Charles Mérieux Center for Infectious Disease has put all its energy and strengths into ensuring the progress of the centre from its creation to what it has become today. We are committed to working even harder over the years to come to improve healthcare in Madagascar together,” said Pr Luc Samison, Director of the Charles Mérieux Center for Infectious Disease in Madagascar.

“We have a long history with Madagascar. We are very happy to be participating alongside you in these group efforts. We continue to support the healthcare initiatives of your government authorities and our actions are aligned with the strategy defined by your government,” underlined Alain Mérieux, President of the Mérieux Foundation.

About the Charles Mérieux Center for Infectious Disease in Madagascar

The Charles Mérieux Center for Infectious Disease in Madagascar was built in 2008 for the benefit of the University of Antananarivo. It was opened on 13 April 2011 in the presence of Alain Mérieux and representatives of the government and institutions in Madagascar.

The centre is a public, non-profit structure governed by a partnership agreement between the University of Antananarivo, Madagascar’s ministry of public health and the Mérieux Foundation. It is also a partner that is open to national and international research institutes in the field of infectious diseases.

The centre employs 30 people in administrative and technical positions, all with Malgasy nationality.

The centre’s projects focus on 3 priorities:

• Assisting research in infectious diseases and certain neglected diseases
• Training for healthcare professionals and students of medicine and science
• Providing technical and logistics support for the medical biology laboratories of public hospitals

The Charles Mérieux Center for Infectious Disease in Madagascar has been designated a National Reference Laboratory for the monitoring of anti-leprosy treatments. It includes the Rodolphe Mérieux laboratory, which is a research, technical support and training lab devoted to public health. It hosts and initiates operational research projects in infectiology (bacteriology, parasitology, mycology, virology and immunology).

The Charles Mérieux Center for Infectious Disease is located within the University of Antananarivo and contributes towards the training of future healthcare and scientific research professionals in Madagascar.