This year's conference will be held from 22nd -24th September 2010 in Kampala, Uganda. The theme of the conference is 'Global health challenges: Training, research, service delivery: Maximising benefits to the people'. The conference covers a range of sub-themes, including HIV and co-morbidities, reproductive and child health, non-communicable diseases, mental health, neglected diseases, health systems research, health management information systems, public policy and advocacy, leadership and governance, service delivery models (task shifting, recruitment and retention of staff), community participation and initiatives in health, occupational health, climatic change and its impact on health, and health care financing. Abstracts covering any of the sub-themes will be accepted.
Jobs and Announcements
The Commonwealth Foundation’s Civil Society Responsive Grants are intended for organisations planning a regional or international workshop or an exchange visit to another non-governmental organisation (NGO) or project. The grants support strengthening of civil society for sustainable development, democracy and intercultural learning within the Commonwealth countries, and may cover short training courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, cultural festivals, exchanges and study visits in other Commonwealth countries. They are targeted at Commonwealth developing countries. Generally, the Foundation awards g around £5,000, but NGOs can request funding up to £10,000. In rare cases, Grants of up to £20,000 can also be made. The grants support activities in four main areas: culture; governance and democracy; human development; and communities and livelihoods.
Funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) offers an opportunity for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in developing countries to gain skills and build their capacities internationally through training and education. Mid-career staff working in organisations in developing countries can apply for this fellowship programme. Applicants must be nominated by their organisations. Applicant should have at least three years of work experience. Further refresher courses are offered to NFP alumni developed for the purpose of prolonging the effect of the previous fellowship given. NFP has dedicated half of the budget to be spent on fellowships for female candidates and candidates from sub-Saharan Africa. Please note that there are different deadlines and different durations for various programmes of the fellowship, depending on which country you come from.
Applicants are invited to submit letters of intent for the World Health Organization's Grants Programme of its Implementation Research Platform for the years 2010-2011. Letters of intent should describe prospective implementation research studies that would assist the scaling-up of health interventions to accelerate progress on Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 and 6, and promote sustainability in the strengthening of health systems. The following three types of research studies will be considered: new implementation research studies; additional implementation research within ongoing studies; and analyses of relevant existing datasets and policy analyses from completed qualitative and quantitative studies or datasets collected as part of routine reporting systems, such as monitoring and evaluation. The size of the budget for each grant will be based on the scope and focus of research proposals. The maximum budget for any individual country proposal supported from this initiative should not exceed US$500,000.
'Beyond the Biological Basis of Disease: The Social and Economic Causation of Illness’ is the title of this on-site immersion course in social medicine, which is designed for 15 international medical students (clinical years) and 15 Ugandan medical students (3rd–5th year) from Gulu University. It intersects the study of clinical medicine in a resource-poor setting with social medicine topics such as globalisation, war, human rights, and narrative medicine, among others. Credit for away-rotations can also be arranged. Total student costs for the course are estimated at US$2,650, including a round trip to Uganda from the US, accommodation and food. The main objectives of the course are to: provide a structured global health immersion experience for medical students with dedicated supervision and teaching in clinical medicine and social medicine; study issues related to global health in a resource-poor setting with an emphasis on local and global context; foster critical analysis of global health interventions in resource-poor settings; facilitate the development of a clinical approach to disease and illness using a biosocial model through structured supervision and teaching; build an understanding and skill set associated with physician advocacy; and promote international solidarity and partnership in generating solutions to global health challenges facing societies throughout the world.
The theme of this year's African Union Summit is: ‘Maternal, infant and child health and development in Africa’. The agenda of meetings will be as follows: From 19–20 July 2010 the 20th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) will be held. From 22–23 July 2010, 17th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council will be held. The Summit will conclude on 25–27 July 2010 with the 15th Ordinary Session of the Assembly.
The main goal of the International Development and Research Centre (IDRC) Internship Awards is to provide exposure to research for international development through a programme of training in research management and grant administration under the guidance of IDRC programme staff. Internships are designed to provide hands-on learning experiences in research programme management and in the creation, dissemination and utilisation of knowledge from an international perspective. The interns will first undertake a programme of research on the topic submitted when competing for the internship award. Thereafter, they will be expected to provide support to management and programme staff in some of the following areas: synthesis of project outcomes; production of publications and dissemination materials or activities on research results; participation in team meetings; research tasks to locate, review and synthesise relevant material; preparation of state-of-the-art reviews; preparation of correspondence, reports and presentations; assistance with the organisation of meetings, workshops and seminars; preparation of minutes; updating and maintaining databases; and maintenance of the website; and exchange with other institutions working on a broad range of issues related to programming.
The International AIDS Conference gathers together those working in the field of HIV, as well as policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the pandemic. It is a chance to assess where we are, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learnt, and collectively chart a course forward. Given the 2010 deadline for universal access set by world leaders, AIDS 2010 will coincide with a major push for expanded access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, despite the current global economic crisis threatening to undermine public investments. The Conference aims to demonstrate the importance of continued HIV investments to broader health and development goals. AIDS 2010 is also an opportunity to highlight the critical connection between human rights and HIV – a dialogue begun in Mexico City in 2008. The AIDS 2010 programme will present new scientific knowledge and offer opportunities for structured dialogue on the major issues facing the global response to HIV.
All African health economists and health policy analysts, whether working in Africa or on research of relevance to Africa, are invited to submit abstracts for the Second Conference of the African Health Economics and Policy Association (AfHEA), which will be held in Dakar, Senegal from 15–19 March 2011 (these dates are provisional). The overall theme of this conference is 'Toward universal health coverage in Africa'. Abstracts are encouraged for research related to the sub-themes of the conference: health care financing for universal financial protection in Africa; promoting universal access to needed health services; and strategies and tactics for key steps to move towards universal coverage. Individuals are also encouraged to submit abstracts on any other interesting or topical research, especially on any aspect of the health system that could contribute to universal coverage. Abstracts may be submitted in English or French and must not exceed 400 words in length. It should indicate the aim and objectives of the paper, the methods used and the key findings.
The key aim of the Graça Machel Scholarship Programme is to help provide the female human resources necessary for economic, social and cultural development in the southern African region and to develop an educated and skilled workforce that can benefit the wider community. Scholarships that target women have long been recognised as an effective approach in addressing gender equality and eradicating poverty. By providing opportunities to study at postgraduate level, these scholarships aim to empower women and to equip them to take up leadership positions in order to have a direct impact in the communities, nations and region in which they live. These female scholars must be positive role models for other women. The scholarships are for female students from Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe studying in South Africa. They are valid for two years’ postgraduate study and include payment of a maintenance allowance, travel, health insurance and tuition fees. Applicants must have at least two years’ relevant work experience.