On November 18 and 19, the French Ambassador to Thailand and the Regional Health Advisor at the French Embassy visited Chiang Mai University to strengthen scientific cooperation between the institution and French research.
On November 18, His Excellency Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France, met with Chayan Vaddhanaphuti, Director of the Regional Center for Social Sciences and Sustainable Development at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Chiang Mai University, in the presence of the IRD Representative, Mr. Olivier Évrard, Yves Goudineau, Director of the EFEO Center in Chiang Mai, and Jérôme Samuel, Director of IRASEC in Bangkok.
Visit of the French Ambassador and the IRD Representative to the Regional Centre for Sustainable Development of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Chiang Mai University
© Chiang Mai University
Later he met with the President and Vice-President of Chiang Mai University, in the presence of the same people with Gonzague Jourdain, Director of the PHPT (UMR MIVEGEC-IRD) in Chiang Mai, and the other members of the delegation.
On November 19, Mrs. Clarisse Veylon-Hervet, Regional Health Advisor at the French Embassy, first visited the clinic specialized in the diagnosis and management of sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis, managed by the Regional Office of Disease Prevention and Control of Department of Disease Control, Thai Ministry of Public Health. Clarisse Veylon-Hervet met with Choosakun Piriya, a Infectious Disease Specialist at the clinic, and his team, in the presence of Gonzague Jourdain, Nicolas Salvadori and Suwalai Chalermpantmetagul, Representatives of the Napneung Project of the PHPT - an interventional research project supported by the Expertise France Initiative - and Olivier Evrard, Representative of IRD. Dr. Choosakun Piriya summarized the activities conducted by the clinic and highlighted the fruitful collaboration with the Napneung project team.
Visit of the Regional Health Advisor and the IRD Representative to the clinic specialised in the diagnosis and treatment of STIs and tuberculosis
© Chiang Mai University
Presentation of computer tablets facilitating STI testing and counselling services at the Napneung Testing Centre
© Chiang Mai University
Then, Clarisse Veylon-Hervet visited the Napneung testing facility within the clinic and discussed with the counselor in charge. Within Napneung, testing and counseling services for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and C are provided free of charge to any consenting individual aged at least 15 years and facilitated by the use of tablet computers.
During the afternoon of November 19, Clarisse Veylon-Hervet went to the Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, where she met with Professor Sakorn Pornprasert, Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Ratchada Cressey, Vice-Dean for Research and International Relations, several lecturers and researchers, postgraduate students who completed part of their training in France, several representatives of the Napneung project and Olivier Evrard. Ratchada Cressey and Gonzague Jourdain provided an overview of the activities and scientific agenda of the AMS-CMU & IRD research collaboration. Nicolas Salvadori then presented two of the collaboration's research projects evaluating strategies to prevent horizontal transmission of HIV and other infections: Napneung and SimpPrEP, a clinical trial aimed at simplifying PrEP (preventive drug treatment) for men who have sex with men, supported by ANRS | Maladies infectieuses émergentes.
Visit of the Regional Health Advisor and the IRD Representative to the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Chiang Mai University
© Chiang Mai University