Since 2001 through the generosity of the late Professor Aubrey Sheiham 16 Cochrane researchers from low- and middle-income countries have been funded and supported to complete Cochrane Reviews on topics relevant to their region, and to cascade knowledge about Cochrane and evidence-based health care (EBHC) to their local networks. In 2014, the scholarship evolved into a new award focusing on leadership in EBHC - the Aubrey Sheiham EBHC in Africa Leadership Award, administered by Cochrane South Africa. With an updated and more concentrated focus, the fellowship is awarded annually to an individual based in Africa, and supports the conduct and dissemination of a high-impact Cochrane Review on a topic relevant to resource-constrained settings. The Cochrane Review should be registered with a Cochrane Review Group at the time of application. An update of an existing review is allowed if it will have high impact. The applicant should provide proof that relevant evidence is available for inclusion in the review. In addition to completing their chosen Cochrane Review and disseminating its findings, the award recipient will support capacity development by mentoring a novice author based in Africa through the review process. This continues the scholarship’s tradition of building knowledge and research networks, which will be actively supported by Cochrane South Africa.
Jobs and Announcements
The ACTS programme takes place under the joint auspices of the International Centre of Nonviolence at Durban University of Technology (DUT) and Grace to Heal, an NGO based in Bulawayo. It is taught by a highly skilled and experienced team, with both local and international staff. This practical programme is offered part-time over 2-2.5 years. Stage one involves three coursework modules, each of which requires up to 10 days residence in Bulawayo, plus guided study at home. Subject to satisfactory progress, students may proceed to stage two, a thesis based on action research. This involves two further residential sessions after formal registration at Durban University of Technology. The final qualification is a Master’s Degree in Management Sciences (MManSc). The programme is closely associated with the ACTS programme for Asia, based at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The procedure is for people to make a formal application for the course by filling in the forms, and attach a request for scholarship support. Information can be obtained at the email address below.
The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget. The provisional agenda includes: Addressing the global shortage of, and access to, medicines; the global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property; preparation for a high-level meeting of the General Assembly on ending tuberculosis; physical activity for health; maternal, infant and young child nutrition; safeguarding against possible conflicts of interest in nutrition programmes; and poliomyelitis – containment of polioviruses.
The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) announces its 15th General Assembly in Dakar, Senegal from 17-21 December 2018. The theme chosen for the General Assembly is ‘Africa and the Crisis of Globalization'. Scholars wishing to be considered for participation in the 15th Assembly as paper presenters or convenors of panels are invited to send abstracts or panel proposals for consideration by the CODESRIA Scientific Committee by 15th April 2018. Successful applicants will be expected to submit full papers for a second round of review by 1st July 2018. The selected participants in the GA will be informed in August 2018. Abstracts for paper presentation should not exceed 600 words while panel proposals should not exceed 1,200 words. Each should clearly indicate the sub-theme in which the paper or panel is located. The Council has created a portal on the website through which all abstracts and panel proposals will be submitted.
Major advances in TB prevention and care have been made, especially in the six high burden countries (India, Indonesia, China, Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa) yet an accelerated approach is needed to end TB, despite above 80% treatment success rates for drug sensitive TB, to ensure a more dramatic annual decline in TB incidence and prevention of TB deaths. Furthermore multidrug-resistant TB with an estimated 480 000 cases worldwide and a treatment success rate of just over 50% requires focussed interventions and an aggressive roll-out of available new drug regimens. South Africa has become the leader in the introduction of INH preventive therapy for people living with HIV for latent TB infection. Leadership is also required in other fields affecting progress, i.e. TB research, universal access to care and treatment, continued and energetic efforts for TB/HIV integration and TB financing. This conference brings together those looking to step up strategies and activities to end the TB epidemic.
This 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 for strengthening the region’s responses to emerging and re-emerging health concerns, to improve health outcomes. The 65th ECSA Health Ministers Conference will be held under the theme: “Multi-Sectoral Collaboration for Health towards Achievement of the SDGs”. The Conference sub-thematic areas will include: Governance and Leadership Practices in the Health sector; Mitigating the Impact of emerging and re-emerging diseases; Multi-Sectoral responses to Non-communicable Diseases; and Accountability for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescent Health post-2015.
The Antipode Foundation exists for the promotion and advancement of social scientific research, education and scholarship in the field of radical geography. Antipode Foundation Scholar-Activist Project Awards are intended to support collaborations between academics, non-academics and activists (from NGOs, think tanks, social movements, or community grassroots organisations, among other places) that further radical analyses of geographical issues and engender the development of a new and better society. They are aimed at promoting programmes of action-research, participation and engagement, cooperation and co-enquiry, and more publicly-focused forms of geographical investigation. The Antipode Foundation strives to fund work that leads to the exchange of ideas across and beyond the borders of the academy, and builds meaningful relationships and productive partnerships. Projects could take many forms including, but not limited to: collaborative research with artistic, community, cultural, grassroots, or social movement groups; the production of educational materials and other innovative pedagogical initiatives; and the promotion of links between universities and institutions/organisations outside the academy. Anyone can apply for an Antipode Foundation Scholar-Activist Project Award (including academics and students, and activists of all kinds), but the grant must be held and administered by a host institution (these could be research, higher education or community-based institutions).
Applicants are invited from policy-makers from low- and middle-income countries who are involved and interested in strengthening health systems, to participate in the 5th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research. Policy and decision-makers who are involved in policy and decision making at district, state, regional, provincial, federal or national level, with at least 3 years of senior management and policy-making experience in the health system or related sector are invited to apply. Candidates are also invited if they are confident of retaining such a position for the next three years with a demonstrated interest and commitment to evidence-informed decision-making, including the use of research, is from a low- or middle-income country. Women are especially encouraged to apply and will be given priority. Participants will be expected to share their experiences and contribute to mutual learning and understanding by participating in a daily de-briefing session of approximately 60 minutes to share Symposium experiences and engage with featured guests around the role of health systems research in decision- making. Participants will engage in symposium sessions with researchers and funders to share experiences and discuss the role of policy-making and research for strengthening health systems and addressing the Sustainable Development Goals. All applications will be considered by a selection committee comprised of representatives from the Alliance HPSR and Health Systems Global. The Alliance will cover airfare, accommodation, symposium registration fee, and costs for selected participants.
In this 70th anniversary year, WHO is calling on world leaders to live up to pledges they made when they agreed to the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, and commit to concrete steps to advance #HealthForAll. This means ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access essential quality health services without facing financial hardship. WHO invites everyone to play a part, stimulating conversations and contributing to structured dialogue towards policies that help your country achieve and maintain UHC. WHO also encourages governments to engage in structured conversations with a broad range of community stakeholders who are both affected by and essential to ensuring universal health coverage. Individuals, civil society and health workers are encouraged to communicate their needs, opinions and expectations to local policy-makers, politicians, ministers and other people representatives. The media is encouraged to highlight initiatives and interventions that help to improve access to quality services and financial protection for people and communities.
In 2017 CODESRIA introduced the Meaning-making Research Initiative (MRI) as a tool for supporting research that contributes to agendas for imagining, planning and creating African futures. MRI aggressively pushes scholars to build on the close observation of African social realities. Projects funded under this initiative should propose research on important aspects of African social realities that fall under CODESRIA’s priority themes as outlined in the CODESRIA Strategic Plan and be guided by clear questions that explore puzzling aspects of the social realities of Africa and its position in the world. Projects should be theoretically ambitious with a clear goal of providing new and innovative ways of understanding and making sense of African social realities and explore multiple spatial, temporal and sectoral settings where this contributes to the process of meaning-making. Interested applicants should submit a proposal, budget, annotated plan of deliverables, cover letter, CV of the scholar and an identification sheet.