[What determines the choice of health care treatment in the town of Contonou (Benin)?].

Households in Contonou show a clear preference for modern medicine. Self-medication is the first choice, followed by use of private practices, which are growing in importance in Benin as treatment options. This preference for private medicine seems to meet a demand that is not covered by the public services, which occupy the third place among treatment options.

[The Bamako initiative: hope or illusion? Observations on the Benin experience].

In various countries in Africa, community financing has become the main source of finance for health services. In Benin, the "Bamako Initiative" experiment started in 1988 for many health structures and has subsequently been greatly expanded. After three years experience, the authors try to answer some important questions about community financing: To what extent does payment of fees have an influence on the use of health services? How are the funds collected and used and is embezzlement a serious problem? The question of equity is also considered as well as cost recovery, allowing an economics-based assessment of the Bamako Initiative which suggests that it has a promising future in Benin.

Serological evaluation of a simplified immunization schedule using quadruple DPT-polio vaccine in Burkina Faso.

The immunogenicity of quadruple DPT-polio vaccine used in a two-dose regimen was investigated in a cross-sectional serological survey involving 355 children under 5 years of age. This schedule is currently applied in the EPI programme in three provinces in Burkina Faso, West Africa. It was found that two doses of quadruple DPT-polio vaccine induced antibodies at protective levels to diphtheria and tetanus toxin, and to the three types of polioviruses in over 90% of 179 children.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and hemoglobin variants in Kel Kummer Tuareg and related groups. Indirect evidence for alpha-thalassemia trait.

A field study of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and hemoglobin polymorphisms was performed in 327 subjects belonging to the Kel Kummer, a highly inbred Tuareg tribe of North-East Mali, and to the contact populations. In the Kel Kummer group 11% of the investigated subjects carried the nondeficient G6PD A+ variant. No other G6PD variant was found.