The Ivo de Carneri Foundation at the Giro d’Italia

Insert in Events the day May 8, 2009

Between May 9th and 31th,  the Ivo de Carneri Foundation will follow the Giro d’Italia from Venice to Rome. For the 100 years of the bicycle race (the first race dates back in May 1909), the Giro del Centenario (centenary ride) has been organized together with  the Giro della solidarietà (solidarity ride), with the presence of some associations, among which the Ivo de Carneri Foundation. At the end of every single race two stands will be set up in the welcome area to host different associations.

The Ivo de Carneri Foundation, which this year celebrates the 15th anniversary, is committed in research, training and treatment of parasitic and infectious diseases in developing countries. These diseases are born in poor settings  and threaten  the life and the future of families and entire countries. Neglected tropical diseases, which include parasitic diseases, afflict the life of one sixth of the world population, a billion of people. Yet, a lot of these diseases could disappeare with a small economic commitment: 50 cent/year/person is enough to treat seven diseases (onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, trachoma and three soil transmitted helminthiasis). Many of these diseases were also present in the developed world, including Italy. They  disappeared with the improvement of sanitation.

Since years the Ivo de Carneri Foundation supports projects on neglected tropical diseases, including the construction in Africa of the Public Health Laboratory Ivo de Carneri for the diagnosis and the research on neglected tropical diseases. Built on the island of Pemba (Zanzibar archipelago, Tanzania), the Laboratory has been active since 2000 and integrated into the local health system.

For a lot of neglected tropical diseases drugs exist and the cost of therapy is affordable: the possibility to eliminate them also from developing countries is a reality. 

For more information:
Fondazione Ivo de Carneri Onlus
Tel. 02 28900393
Fax 02 28900401
Viale Monza 44  – 20127 Milano
c.veronese@fondazionedecarneri.it
www.fondazionedecarneri.it