As part of an effort to improve the health of Cote d'Ivoire residents, the U.S. government donated advanced medical equipment and computer technology to an infectious disease research center in Adipodoume, just outside of Abidjan.

Approximately $50,000 worth of medical equipment was installed at the Institut Pasteur (IP), which will improve the capabilities of the laboratory to treat Cote d'Ivoire residents for respiratory illness and rapidly diagnose avian influenza strands and other influenzas that have pandemic potential.

Institute Pasteur is a French non-profit private foundation, with units located around the globe, dedicated to the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases through research, teaching, and public health initiatives. The IP center in Cote d'Ivoire has been designated by the Ivoirian Ministry of Health as Cote d'Ivoire's National Influenza Center.

This donation, coordinated through the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit, is especially relevant given the recent outbreak of H1N1 (swine flu) in various countries around the world. Respiratory disease is a significant problem in Cote d'Ivoire, as the third most common illness in adults and the second most common illness among children.

The newly installed equipment includes an ABI Real Time PCR machine and laptop computers, which are designed to diagnose specific disease agents within a six-hour period. Combining Polymerase Chain Reaction and Fluorescent imaging technology to target DNA sequences, this equipment greatly enhances the nation's ability to diagnose and track respiratory diseases.