INDEPTH NETWORK

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
June 2008

Dr. Osman Sankoh

Sometimes I wish that the days speed up so that I can write to you at the end of the month. This wish was prominent in June as the first Asian scientist signed a contract to work full-time with us at the Secretariat as a Research Associate in Biostatistics.

You will understand therefore that this month�s note is mainly to tell you about my new colleagues who have either recently joined the Secretariat�s team or will soon be doing so.

Dr. Wasimul Bari, a Bangladeshi National, will move to Accra in November as a Postdoc to occupy the position of a research associate in the scientific co-ordination section, focusing on helping INDEPTH sites in the analysis of their longitudinal data. He currently teaches biostatistics at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh. We are very excited to have Wasimul with us in Accra.

Mr. Samuel Mikenga, a Ugandan national, will join our team in August as the Communications andExternal Relations Manager. Samuel will bring to the INDEPTH Secretariat many years of experience in the field of scientific communication. Samuel was Communications Manager of New Partnerships for Africa�s Development (NEPAD) in South Africa, where he was in charge of giving strategic guidance on communications and public relations matters, in addition to acting as Public Information Officer.

Mr. Adam Osman, a Ghanaian national, is a chartered accountant who has joined our finance team in June. Adam was an Audit Senior with Veritax Associates in Accra, a firm of Chartered Accountants involved in the provision of audit, tax and business advisory services.

Ms Beatrice Abam Mensah, a Ghanaian national, was the first to join us in January 2008 as our new Administrative Secretary. She holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Secretaryship and Management Studies from Accra Polytechnic. She has pursued short courses in Computer literacy and French language. Read More�



An International network of HDSS sites involved in demographic and health research in developing countries

Better Health Information for Better Health Policy
Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance (MCTA) Made possible by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, INDEPTH established the MCTA Project to address the fundamental issues relating to clinical trial sites in Africa, so as to help accelerate the development of vaccines and drugs and their availability and accessibility to the developing world. Read More �	�WITS School of Public Health; Post Graduate admissions 2009: Msc. in Population-based field epidemiology Applications are invited for admission in 2009 to the following programmes:n DSS work. Master of Science in the field of Population-Based Field Epidemiology (INDEPTH Scientific and Leadership Programme) Coursework is 18 months full time with a 6-month field placement. Limited number of fellowships available through INDEPTH and from TDR/WHO. Read More � �8th INDEPTH Annual General & Scientifc Meeting INDEPTH utilises its AGM every year mainly as a scientific forum for members and others to share their experiences in DSS work. The AGM also does administrative business. Various stakeholders attend. Read More � �INDEPTH cross-site capacity strengthening small grants This programme, funded by Sida/SAREC fosters research collaboration and research training between INDEPTH sites through small grants to at least three member sites participating in a cross-site activity. Read More � �INDEPTH prize for Extraordinary Research This year the INDEPTH Secretariat intends to award the INDEPTH Price for Extraordinary research in population and health research (see announcement) at the AGM in Dar es Salam. You are encouraged to send in nominations before July 31, 2008. The announcement spells out the details and requirements. Read More � �DSS- University Population Programme Collaboration This programme, funded by Hewlett Foundation, strives to match analytic opportunities among DSS sites with University population science training programmes in Kenya, South Africa and Ghana. Read More � �Global Health Action - Call for Papers The aim of Global Health Action is to contribute to fuelling a more concrete, hands-on approach to global health challenges �INDEPTH Network - Leading Research in Africa & Asia Public health decision-making is critically dependent on the availability of sound data. One cannot but agree with the Physicist Niels Bohr when he stated in 1930 that "nothing exists until it is measured".Read More � �Fred Binka: Fighting Malaria in Africa This profile was published in the LANCET, Vol 371; April 2008 (www.thelancet.com) �Bridging the communication barrier; A new INDEPTH Initiative (PDF) �Twelve students from nine INDEPTH sites in seven countries to be sponsored for the MSc. in Population-based Field Epidemiology in 2008 Twelve students from nine INDEPTH sites in seven countries have been admitted by the University of the Witwatersrand to pursue the eighteen-month Master of Science in Population-based field Epidemiology, under the auspices of the INDEPTH Scientific Development and Leadership Programme. Read More � �News Bulletin, April 2008, Vol 7 Our news bulletins give you updates on network activities, but also on interesting activities from member sites. Read More � �RAKAI HDSS: A pacesetter in HIV research and a Center of Excellence Started in 1988 as the Rakai Project, the RAKAI Project has twenty years down the line been fully transformed to the RAKAI Health Sciences Program with support from NIH and John Hopkins University. Read More � �IGANGA/MAYUGE HDSS: Taking the lead in trying new technologies for HDSS data Collection Young as it may be (Established in 2004), Iganga/Mayuge DSS is taking the lead in the testing of PDAs for longitudinal Data collection. Read More � �Developing a Prototype for Data Sharing; Building capacity in Data management across India, Thailand and Papua New Guinea This project which involves Vadu, Kanchanaburi and Wosera HDSS aims to harmonize data through protocols that facilitate data sharing and cross-site analysis. Read More� �INDEPTH Secretariat visits Kanchanaburi HDSS, Thailand The Secretariat took advantage of its participation in the datasharing meeting to pay a day's visit to Kanchanaburi HDSS.Read More� �More calls and announcementss IAccess INDEPTH Web Mail	FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR June 2008 Dr. Osman Sankoh Sometimes I wish that the days speed up so that I can write to you at the end of the month. This wish was prominent in June as the first Asian scientist signed a contract to work full-time with us at the Secretariat as a Research Associate in Biostatistics. You will understand therefore that this month�s note is mainly to tell you about my new colleagues who have either recently joined the Secretariat�s team or will soon be doing so. Dr. Wasimul Bari, a Bangladeshi National, will move to Accra in November as a Postdoc to occupy the position of a research associate in the scientific co-ordination section, focusing on helping INDEPTH sites in the analysis of their longitudinal data. He currently teaches biostatistics at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh. We are very excited to have Wasimul with us in Accra. Mr. Samuel Mikenga, a Ugandan national, will join our team in August as the Communications andExternal Relations Manager. Samuel will bring to the INDEPTH Secretariat many years of experience in the field of scientific communication. Samuel was Communications Manager of New Partnerships for Africa�s Development (NEPAD) in South Africa, where he was in charge of giving strategic guidance on communications and public relations matters, in addition to acting as Public Information Officer. Mr. Adam Osman, a Ghanaian national, is a chartered accountant who has joined our finance team in June. Adam was an Audit Senior with Veritax Associates in Accra, a firm of Chartered Accountants involved in the provision of audit, tax and business advisory services. Ms Beatrice Abam Mensah, a Ghanaian national, was the first to join us in January 2008 as our new Administrative Secretary. She holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Secretaryship and Management Studies from Accra Polytechnic. She has pursued short courses in Computer literacy and French language. Read More�

	INDEPTH is currently funded by
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation \|Govt. of Ghana \|Hewlett Foundation \| Rockefeller Foundation \|Sida/SAREC \|Wellcome Trust \|WHO/NIH \|DFiD