Yao Sodahlon

Dr. Yao Sodahlon is the director of the Mectizan Donation Program (MDP). He is responsible for the overall success of the Program, ensuring Mectizan reaches everyone who needs it. He works closely with partners to shape strategies for the elimination of onchocerciasis (commonly known as river blindness) and lymphatic filariasis (commonly known as elephantiasis or LF). Dr. Sodahlon joined the Program in 2006 to manage the donation of Mectizan and albendazole for LF elimination in African countries and Yemen where onchocerciasis is co-endemic. He was also responsible for monitoring the distribution of the drug to ensure it was safely administered during mass drug administration. Before joining MDP, Dr. Sodahlon worked in the ministry of health in Togo, his home country, as director of the Division of Clinical Laboratories (health system policy and development) and contributed to various communicable disease control programs (malaria, tuberculosis, schistosomiasis, and lymphatic filariasis). He also taught clinical parasitology at the Lomé school of medicine in Togo and consulted for WHO, supporting African countries in malaria drug monitoring and policy making. Dr. Sodahlon received his M.D. in 1989 from University of Lomé, Togo, his Diploma of Clinical Pathology in 1995 from Louis Pasteur University of Strasbourg (France), and his Master’s degree in International Health in 2003 from Victor Segalen University of Bordeaux (France).