29 November 2024 Articles

In memory of Armand Van Deun, pioneering public health physician

Armand Van Deun was a prominent figure in the field of tuberculosis (TB) research and treatment. In honour of his legacy, we launched the Armand Van Deun Scholarship Initiative, a cause you can also support.

Armand Van Deun (1953-2023) undoubtedly saved the lives of millions of people. Not only was he an open-minded researcher with a paradigm shifting scientific impact on the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB), Armand also was a dedicated teacher and the engine behind the international ITM Short Course Clinical Decision-Making for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB course), from which hundreds of international students and experienced doctors have benefitted.

Armand teaching passionately at ITM

A pioneer in TB research and treatment

Armand Van Deun was a prominent figure in the field of tuberculosis (TB) research and treatment. After obtaining his medical degree in 1978, he worked as a Tuberculosis and Leprosy Coordinator in Tanzania, pioneering the application of multidrug therapy for leprosy and spearheading the DOTS strategy (Directly Observed Treatment) for TB. Van Deun's career also included roles in Rwanda and Bangladesh, where he expanded TB and leprosy programmes.

His focus on operational research in TB control led to significant contributions in diagnosis and chemotherapy. Notably, Van Deun developed an efficient and affordable 9 to 11-month regimen for rifampicin-resistant TB, challenging skepticism and proving its efficacy through trials. In 1999, he joined ITM’s Mycobacteriology Unit.

A key achievement was the initiation of the International Course in Applied Mycobacteriology, assisting African TB programmes. Awarded the Kochon Prize in 2010, he shared the recognition with the Damien Foundation. Armand was renowned for his integrity, humility, and commitment to TB patients in resource-limited settings, leaving a lasting impact on the global fight against tuberculosis.

Young Armand participating in ITM’s Tropical Medicine course (in the 1980s)

Armand with a student and colleague Leen Rigouts, celebrating at the Myco Meeting in Namur (2009)

Two shared initiatives to honour Armand’s legacy

After his passing, Armand’s former international colleagues soon agreed upon a series of actions to take to honour their beloved colleague. The initiators are:

Nils E. Billo, Hans L. Rieder, Chen-Yuan Chiang (The Union)
Alberto Piubello (Damien Foundation)
Bouke de Jong, Leen Rigouts, Tom Decroo (ITM)

The initiators all shared this heartfelt wish to literally capture Armand’s invaluable contribution to the health and wellbeing of people living with drug-resistant tuberculosis. Together, they decided to elaborate two initiatives, hoping that these will forge new generations of clinicians and scientists to dedicate their professional careers to tuberculosis, just as Armand did.

Armand giving an honorary lecture at the occasion of receiving the Kochon prize at the Union meeting in Berlin (2010)

1. Room Van Deun

ITM already decided to rename a meeting room in honour of Armand’s legacy. The former Room North at our Campus Rochus will soon be named after Armand. Room Van Deun is a room where future student cohorts will continue to be trained in Armand’s legacy.

Room Van Deun will be inaugurated on Wednesday 29 January 2025. Please confirm your availability if you would like to take part in this opening ceremony.

2. Armand Van Deun scholarships

Additionally, the initiators launched a call for action that will secure future generations of clinicians and scientists that dedicate their professional careers to tuberculosis, just as Armand did. Armand was founding father of the short course Clinical Decision-Making for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB), and worldwide students may now apply to an Armand Van Deun Scholarship to enroll in this course and use their chance to improving the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis through operations research in low-resource countries.

Armand with colleagues at the Myco Meeting in Namur (2009)

The DR-TB course invites doctors with hands-on TB experience to learn how to:

Characterise the problems with DR-TB in their country in terms of occurrence, diagnosis and treatment, using available data;
Balance harm and benefit of clinical decisions in the field of DR-TB diagnosis and treatment;
Formulate evidence-based recommendations for DR-TB diagnosis and treatment for case studies presented by participants and faculty;
Contextualise these evidence-based recommendations to their own setting;
Formulate recommendations to prevent the emergence of DR during treatment and preserve treatment options in their own context.

We invite all people interested to continue Armand’s legacy by supporting scholarship fees for students from low- and middle-resource countries enrolling in the annual DR-TB course.

Armand enjoying a track bike tour with colleagues in Namur (2009)

Would you like to support the Armand Van Deun Scholarship initiative?

Our ultimate goal is to be able to fund a few fully funded Armand Van Deun scholarships every year. We invite former colleagues, students, and friends of Armand to support the Armand Van Deun Scholarship Initiative with a donation. By contributing, you’ll help students from low- and middle-income countries gain valuable insights into TB diagnosis and treatment in a global context.

If you would like to donate, you can do so online or via transfer: