[The OCCGE (Organisation de Coordination et de Coopération pour la Lutte contre les Grandes Endémies) and the surveillance of the drug sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarials].

Spreading of chemoresistance from East Africa to Central Africa is a very worrying problem for Western Africa. In fact, chemotherapy of febrile attacks is at present admitted as malaria control strategy in the framework of Primary Health Care. This new strategy is based on the fact that commonly used antimalarial drugs as chloroquine are surely efficacious. Thus, the surveillance of chemosensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum local strains becomes a priority. From studies carried out in Burkina Faso during many years, Centre Muraz of O.C.C.G.E. has organized a surveillance system with several levels: a Reference Center, a National Center for each country and sentinel centers located in the different epidemiological features of the countries. This surveillance concerning many states can allow to detect more quickly some possible problems in relation with chemoresistance and to take measures to limit its impact.