The International Development Research Centre is calling for concept notes concerning the promotion of healthy diets as a key strategy for the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries(LMICs). The key objective of this call is to support Southern-led research designed to influence the adoption and implementation of effective policies and programmes for the promotion of healthy diets in LMICs. Key thematic areas include: research on policies, population-wide programs and community-based interventions that aim to discourage production and consumption unhealthy food products and promote healthy eating; and evidence syntheses or situation analyses to inform policy dialogues and the adoption and implementation of key interventions to address unhealthy diets as a key NCD risk factor. Please note that three major cross-cutting issues are central to the NCD programme: equity, intersectoral action and commercial influence on public health-related policy. The principal applicant must be a citizen or permanent resident of a LMIC and with a primary work affiliation in a LMIC institution.
Jobs and Announcements
Forum 2012 marks the beginning of a new series of the annual Global Forum for Health Research meetings. It will bring together seven key constituencies: governments, research institutions, business, social enterprises/civil society organisations, international organisations, research funders and media. Under the theme of ‘Beyond aid: Research and innovation as key drivers for health, equity and development’, the Forum will focus on potentials, solutions, and developing capacities – specifically in low- and middle-income countries and emerging economies – and how global collaboration can leverage this for a new era of global development support. It aims to contribute to health, equity and development in a measurable way. Forum 2012 will focus on three key areas to achieve this goal: investing in research and innovation for health; networks and networking for research and innovation; and creating an enabling environment for research and innovation (government policies). COHRED and the Global From for Health Research are calling for contributions to setting the agenda for Forum 2012.
At the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, approximately 2,000 delegates will review global progress in improving the impact and effectiveness of aid, and make commitments that set a new agenda for development. The Forum follows meetings in Rome, Paris and Accra that helped transform aid relationships between donors and partners into true vehicles for development cooperation. Based on 50 years of field experience and research, the five principles that resulted from these fora encourage local ownership, alignment of development programmes around a country’s development strategy, harmonisation of practices to reduce transaction costs, the avoidance of fragmented efforts and the creation of results frameworks.
The Youth Initiative of the Open Society Foundations (OSF) is currently seeking proposals from eligible registered NGO’s for up to $10,000 in funding to develop and curate thematic pages on a new global youth portal and community being developed at www.youthpolicy.org. Youthpolicy.org aims to consolidate knowledge and information on youth policies across the international sector, ranging from analysis and formulation to implementation and evaluation. Themes include, but are not limited to: participation and citizenship; activism and volunteering; children and youth rights; youth with disabilities; global drug policy; community work; research and knowledge; informal learning; youth, environment and sustainability; multiculturalism and minorities; and youth justice.
The First Global Climate and Health Summit aims to bring together key health sector actors to discuss the impacts of climate change on public health and solutions that promote greater health and economic equity between and within nations. The Summit is geared to build the profile of the health sector vis-à-vis the COP17 negotiations in Durban, and to also help build a broader, longer lasting global movement for a healthy climate. Objectives of the Summit include: raise the profile of public health and the health sector vis-à-vis the public debate and global negotiations on climate change; catalyse greater health sector engagement on climate issues in a broad diversity of countries; build a common, more coordinated approach to addressing the health impacts of climate change; and develop shared advocacy strategies for strong national and global policy measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
In the run-up to the Third People’s Health Assembly (PHA3), the People’s Health Movement (PHM) is releasing monthly updates on preparations for the Assembly – this is the first issue. PHM reports that, in the Africa region, various pre-PHA3 mobilisation activities have begun and in attempt to have co-ordinated efforts towards the assembly, mobilisation committees have been set up. Four sub-regional committees have been formed: West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa and Central. A regional mobilisation committee will be developed from representatives of these sub-regions aiming to support national initiatives and bring regional health issues to the foreground in PHA3 discussions. Other countries which have started PHA3 activities and discussions are Zimbabwe, Kenya, Pakistan, Togo, Niger, Congo Brazzaville, Italy, Belgium and many others. Join the PHA3 facebook group to stay updated on preparatory events taking place around the world. PHM is calling on all interested parties to inform them what is happening in their countries so it can be shared through the monthly updates.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is convening a global conference on 19-21 October, 2011, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to build support for the implementation of action on social determinants of health. The Brazilian Ministry of Health, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are working closely with WHO on preparing the event. The conference will bring together Member States and stakeholders to share experiences on policies and strategies aiming to reduce health inequities. The event will provide a global platform for dialogue on how the recommendations of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health (2008) could be taken forward. The key aim of the process is to draw lessons learnt and to catalyse coordinated global action in five key areas: governance to tackle the root causes of health inequities by implementing action on social determinants of health; the role of the health sector, including public health programmes, in reducing health inequities; promoting participation through community leadership for action on social determinants; global action on social determinants by aligning priorities and stakeholders; and monitoring progress in terms of measurement and analysis to inform policies on social determinants.
The East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC), in collaboration with the Ministries of Public Health and Sanitation and Medical Services Republic of Kenya will host the 54th ECSA Health Minister’s Conference from 07 - 11 November 2011 in Mombasa, Republic of Kenya. The Conference, will bring together Ministers of Health, Senior Officials from Ministries of Health, Experts, Health Researchers, Heads of Health Training Institutions from Member States of the ECSA Health Community; diverse Collaborating Partners in the region and beyond with the aim of identifying policy issues and making recommendations to facilitate the implementation of high impact interventions for improved health outcomes. The theme of the 54th ECSA Health Ministers Conference is “Consolidating the gains: Addressing High Impact Interventions for Improved Health Outcomes” Abstracts are being invited for presentation of papers under the ECSA-HC Regional Forum on Best Practices which is held annually in conjunction with the Health Ministers Conference for the East Central and Southern Africa - Health Community (ECSA-HC) You are kindly requested to submit your abstract(s) by 16 September 2011 to admin@ecsa.or.tz.
The BRAC University is calling for applicants for its Masters of Public Heath programme. Since its inception, the School has received 191 diverse students from different corners of the globe such as South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, North and South Americas, and Europe. The graduates move on to work for their respective governments, national and/or international NGOs, or with various donor and UN agencies. Additionally, universities and research organizations also acquire a large number of our MPH students. The MPH curriculum is structured to maximize learning around the health problems faced by communities in Bangladesh, and elsewhere. This includes extensive field-based instructions complemented by interactive classroom based work in teams. The School has a generous scholarship programme that aims to promote global access to the MPH amongst potential students from all over the world based on merit. The admission process includes an application, reference letters, statement of interest in public health, individual and group interviews, as well as written and oral tests.
The Africa Programme for Advanced Research Epidemiology Training(APARET) is an European Union-funded programme whose goal is to support independent research activities by fellows in Africa . The programme will run for four years with three fellow intakes, and each intake will last for two years in selected African research training institutions. During this period, the fellows shall conduct epidemiologic research with their host institutes. A major part of the first year shall be the application for a major research grant. Each fellow shall be supported by a mentor and supervisor and a grant averaging 6,000 Euros to facilitate their research during the fellowship. Fellows will be supervised and trained in planning and conducting independent epidemiological research as well as in the analysis of epidemiological data. Further training will be provided on critically reviewing scientific papers and on the submission of scientific manuscripts to a peer-reviewed journal.