Ben Gurion Prof. Receives Grant From Gates Foundation For Work In Africa

November 6, 2014 | Prof. Zvi Bentwich of Ben Gurion University in the Negev received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for his projects in Africa. Receiving the “Grand Challenges in Global Health” grant from the respectable foundation, Bentwich will continue to fund his project to wipe out parasitic worm infections in Ethiopia. Bentwich and his team plan to eradicate the disease by providing education on appropriate hygiene, allowing local students to engage in the education of hygiene standards and by providing clean water and sanitation facilities. Their approach will be tested on a specific region in Ethiopia on 30 different schools, treating families with anti-parasitic drugs and educating them on the importance of hygiene. Bentwich is a member of the Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics and head of the Center for Emerging Diseases, Tropical Diseases and AIDS (CEMTA).