Forum 2015 is a unique global platform to promote the role of research and innovation in creating better health, enhancing equity and stimulating development. The Forum 2015 organisers invite abstract submissions from policymakers, business and community leaders, researchers and scholars, non-profit and international organisations, and any others from various disciplines and sectors whose work addresses key concerns in research and innovation for health and development. The abstracts may be research-focused, clinical-focused, policy-focused or program-focused. The abstract should describe clearly developed-work that is evidence-based. Abstracts describing work that is in early stages of development will not be considered. At the time of the abstract submission, authors may request a poster presentation, an oral presentation, or both. The Forum 2015 will make the final decision on what type of presentation method will be awarded based on the overall program needs
Jobs and Announcements
Over the last 20 years, the District Health Information System in South Africa and in many countries in Sub- Saharan Africa and Asia has evolved significantly from a paper based system to a web based system. The conference is expected to be a platform through which this evolution is explored and where best practices and lessons learned are being shared. The conference will bring together a wide range of practitioners from health information users, systems developers, health leaders ranging from programme managers, district managers, provincial managers and health planners from South Africa and around the world. The audience will also include public health and health informatics students as well as researchers. The conference hopes to provide a platform to explore new developments, innovations and possibilities around health information systems development and information use. The conference will be preceded by 2 days of field visits to selected health facilities on 23rd and 24th March 2015 where candidates will be taken through practical aspects of the development process and where they can experience the use of the DHIS software first hand. Delegates may also wish to join the DHIS2 Academy which will be held from 13 – 22 March 2015 at the same venue
The Ministry of Health and Child Care, the National Institute of Health Research and the Training and Research Support Centre in collaboration with the Technical Working Group on Universal Health Coverage and the ‘Rebuild programme’ is holding a one and a half day National Research Forum with the THEME “Evidence for advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Zimbabwe” on 19th and 20th March 2015 at the Harare Holiday Inn, in Harare. The forum will gather people from all constituencies and sectors doing or using research on any aspect of UHC in Zimbabwe, to present and share their research findings, discuss the policy implications and identify priorities for future work. The conference has four theme areas: i. Health Equity: Reducing the gap in access to and coverage of health care and of social determinants of improved health. ii. Health financing: Mobilising financial, health worker, medicines and other resources for health, pooling of funds, reducing out of pocket spending and fair allocation and effective use of health resources. iii. Widening services to meet new challenges, such as non communicable diseases, Ebola and multiple/co- morbidity. and iv. People centred approaches: partnerships in health between communities, health workers, institutions and private sector.
With 2015 being the target date for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the conference will provide an opportunity to reflect on the challenges faced by South Africa and Africa in trying to achieve the MDGs. The focus of the conference though will be on moving forward and identifying potential solutions both within and outside the health system in order to improve the health status of our population. This is reflected in the theme of conference “Health and Sustainable Development: The Future”. The 2015 PHASA Conference will be more interactive than previous PHASA conferences. A panel debate involving politicians, civil society and academics is set to be one of the highlights of the 2015 PHASA Conference. There will be a greater media and social media presence at the 2015 PHASA Conference ensuring that research findings and key issues reach a broader audience.
The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) announces the twenty-sixth session of its Small Grants Programme for Thesis Writing. The grants serve as part of the Council’s contribution to the development of the social sciences in Africa, and the continuous renewal and strengthening of research capacities in African universities, through the funding of primary research conducted by graduate and postgraduate students. Candidates whose applications are successful are encouraged to use the resources provided under the grants to cover the cost of their fieldwork, the acquisition of books and documents, the processing of data which they have collected and the printing of their theses/dissertations. As the Council is strongly committed to encouraging African researchers to engage one another on a sustained basis, recipients of the small grants will also be supported to order books and journals produced by African scholarly publishers, including CODESRIA itself. They will also be encouraged to apply for participation in CODESRIA research methodology workshops.
This call is for applications from universities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to host and manage the TDR international post graduate training scheme on implementation research (IR). The long term goal is to strengthen capacity of disease endemic countries for identifying public health needs, develop appropriate solutions and translate them into policy and practice for improved health and wellbeing of their populations.
Veteran and young Pan Africanist leaders will meet to discuss Pan Africanism and a vision for Africa’s future in March 2015 in Accra. Towards the 8th Congress in 2015, the Local Organising Committee is inviting papers from all Africans on the continent and the Diaspora. Some of the papers will be presented at the plenaries and working groups during the 8th Congress and the will be published as part of post Congress for knowledge building. Authors can choose to write one or two papers from a list provided or propose a topic of interests within the wider Pan African discourse. Papers can either be in French or English and will be subject to peer review. Submissions should be presented in soft copy, double spaced and not more than 3,000 words. For information on the themes please visit the link and email papers to zyeebo@gmail.com.
UNRISD invites expressions of interest from researchers for two further research papers for its ongoing project case study on Zimbabwe from researchers with extensive expertise on Zimbabwe, either on taxation or social policy. Two papers will be commissioned as a result of this call: The Political Economy of Taxation and Fiscal Governance in Zimbabwe and Social Policy and Social Spending in Zimbabwe.
The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) invites proposals from African and Diaspora researchers for its 2015 Multinational Working Groups Competition. The Council’s Multinational Working Groups Competition is for researchers to explore themes covering multiple countries. Researchers should apply as individuals with clearly-thought out projects. CODESRIA’s evaluators will identify the best applications and the Council will constitute groups of 12 to 15 researchers around dominant themes. Each group constituted will be led by a CODESRIA-appointed coordinator who will oversee group activities, follow up on progress by members, facilitate the exchange of ideas among group members and help ensure quality. The Multinational Working Groups Competition provides grants of USD 5000 to each researcher over a 15-month period to facilitate the completion of already-started work. Researchers are supposed to produce an article or book chapter at the end of the grant period.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care, the National Institute of Health Research and the Training and Research Support Centre in collaboration with the Technical Working Group on Universal Health Coverage and the ‘Rebuild programme’ is holding a one and a half day National Research Forum with the THEME “Evidence for advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Zimbabwe” on 19th and 20th March 2015 in Harare. The forum aims to gather people from all constituencies and sectors doing research on any aspect of UHC in Zimbabwe, to present and share their research findings, discuss the policy implications and identify priorities for future work. Registration for the conference will open on 5th January 2015, and interested delegates are asked to email to their name, institution, address and whether they can meet the registration fee or whether they need sponsorship for it.