It is with a heavy heart that, on 3 September 2024, the world of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) learnt about the passing on of Dr Azodoga Sékétéli, Director of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) 1999– 2005.
Dr Sékétéli was one of the giants of onchocerciasis control in Africa.
Born on 5 September 1945 in a small village near Lomé, Togo, where his heart belonged, he excelled at school and won a scholarship to study engineering in agronomy. This was followed by a PhD in medical entomology after a short spell in Lomé when he found agronomy not to be sufficiently interesting.
In 1974, Dr Sékétéli was among the first set of African entomologists recruited by WHO at the start of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa (OCP) to head country teams created to carry out the entomological field work of data collection and evaluation as part of the vector control strategy. He progressed to become the chief of the Western Extension Zone and was based in Bamako, Mali. He was then transferred to OCP headquarters in Ouagadougou to the post of Coordinator of the Office of the Director of OCP. He was appointed the Programme Manager of APOC at its creation in 1995 and subsequently its Director in 1999 until his retirement in 2005. He virtually built the solid scientific, administrative and organizational foundation of APOC, which formed the basis for its operations until its closure in 2015.
An administrator par excellence, Dr Sékétéli was renowned for his immense energy, drive and exactness in all his scientific field work, applying the same skills in the pursuit of the progress of APOC. Notably, he was instrumental in ensuring that onchocerciasis mapping efforts and ivermectin distribution were extended into remote and conflict-affected areas, where health services were often disrupted. He was also well known for his ability and willingness to listen to his staff, and was admired for his fairness in managing staff matters. Dr Sékétéli published numerous articles in peer reviewed journals. An added achievement was his dedication to uplifting the less endowed. He was particularly involved with the Red Cross Society of Togo, serving as its Chairman for most of his time after retiring from WHO. He contributed immensely to the development of his village.
He will be greatly missed not only by the NTD and “oncho” communities, but indeed also by his country of origin, Togo, and his village of birth.
(The text and the photo were kindly provided by Yankum Dadzie and Honorat Zouré).