Dokita Volume 20 - parasitoses edition

The DOKITA is very well known for its excellence in addressing relevant health issues, thereby educating the medical students, medical practitioners and the public on those issues. In addition to this it communicates to the health authorities the need to re-evaluate our health problems so as to find realistic solutions to them. It is in this spirit that the issue of DOKITA is specially devoted to PARASITIC INFESTATIONS.

While the health sector of the country is gradually being overwhelmed by the rise in incidence, morbidity and mortality of diseases like cancer e.g. Carcinoma of the Cervix and the breasts, Coronary heart disease and recently AIDS, the health problems is compounded by parasitic diseases in our community. These parasitic diseases had long been recognized and unfortunately their rising incidence, and the serious sequelae to the community continue to give concern.

This issue of DOKITA is also unique in the sense that medical students had contributed substantially to this edition unlike in the recent past. This is quite encouraging, as the journal is that of the Medical Students of University of Ibadan Medical Students Association. It is our hope that this commitment will be sustained. The consultant members of staff of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan and their colleagues outside the College of Medicine have as usual contributed to this issue on different aspects of parasitoses backed up by their experience, which makes this edition also special.

This issue will be of tremendous value to medical students, the medical practitioners and the health authorities. Is the goal of GLOBAL 2000 in the global eradication of guinea worm infestation achievable? This and more are addressed in this issue. The socio-economic implications of parasitic diseases are well known and hopefully the issue will motivate intersectoral approach to the eradication of these crippling parasitic diseases in our community.

The authors deserve the gratitude of the Editorial Board of DOKITA and the entire nation will surely benefit from the information contained in this issue.

J.A Adeleye,

Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Chairman,

DOKITA Editorial Board