In order to provide support effectively, Lester Chitsulo plans the use of drugs together with data expert, Alexei Mikhailov. This way, for example, they can evaluate which country has areas at risk, where schistosomiasis is spreading most and which other diseases are endemic to the region. In addition, he supports the contacts in the user countries, answers technical questions and renders support when the program is implemented. He also travels regularly to the program countries and gets informed on-site about the progress of the initiative.

Lester Chitsulo has been married to wife Chrissie for 32 years. Their four children – two sons and two daughters – have been fortunate not to have had schistosomiasis. Although the knowledge concerning the cause and treatment of this disease has increased, it still affects over 200 million people worldwide. There are 700 million people living in areas where the disease is widespread.

Lester Chitsulo says that schistosomiasis is a disease that is caused by poverty.  Drug treatment is therefore only the beginning. Along with this, the living conditions of those affected must also be improved. Only where the water is clean can no parasites thrive. His colleagues and he have observed that the fight against schistosomiasis is making progress. “We can make a difference. We’ve noticed that.” Yet a world without the parasitic disease is still far off. Because it is necessary to break the cycle of the disease and give millions of people a better outlook for the future. That is motivation enough to set out every morning for Appia Avenue.