Sir

I support all the matters raised in the Commentary by Hin and Subramaniam, “Scientific societies build better nations” (Nature 399, 633; 1999). The suggestion that aid agencies should provide money to support scientific societies in developing countries, and to create federations of societies, strikes a chord. Even the production of a newsletter in Africa costs money that is not easily raised.

I am concerned with the development of biochemistry in Eastern Europe and Africa, and participated in the launch of the Federation of African Societies of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Many of the problems are similar in these different regions. The authors say that the creation of societies depends on the “coming together of scientists committed to translating a vision into reality”. This is true but too often such people are inhibited because there is a bad relationship between the government and the universities. In these circumstances it takes a brave person to found a society that may later ask the government to increase funds for science. Such people tend to be regarded as troublemakers.

Effective aid should involve a partnership between the aid agency and the government but too often they act independently. In the absence of an indication that the government takes science seriously, aid to individuals will often merely encourage a brain drain.