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

January 2008

From the Executive Director

Dr. Osman Sankoh
 

 

Unavoidably I must start this month’s message on a sad note: INDEPTH has lost a young scientist at the Kisumu HDSS site in Kenya. Daniel Ogola enrolled in the MSc in Population-based Field Epidemiology Programme at Wits University, Johannesburg in 2006 and was to start his field attachment at the Navrongo HDSS in Ghana in January 2008. He couldn’t win a fight to live, but he won a battle – his contribution to the understanding of the health and population dynamics of his people shall never be forgotten. The INDEPTH family, colleagues, and friends will miss him. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

 

I hope that the four full weeks in January have enabled our HDSS sites to gather the requisite tools to carry on their work to make their people count. Your secretariat will continue to provide the necessary support. Please fall on us whenever you have cause to.  

 

As January ends, here are a few highlights from your secretariat:

 

Check out our job opportunities on the website. We are looking for a Biostatistician to help our sites with issues of data analysis, and a Communications and External Relations Manager to focus on selling the Network better to the international community.

 

Please do not forget that we have launched again our cross-site small grants programme for collaborative activities involving at least three of your sites.

 

I am encouraging sites in the HDSS-University collaboration to submit proposals for the second year of funds. My team is always happy to help you with your proposal.

 

I am happy to note that Navrongo HDSS in English-speaking Ghana will host a Portuguese-speaking scientist from Bandim HDSS in Guinea-Bissau for a month. We are committed to breaking the language barrier. For more details, please click here.

 

Did I already tell you about a new initiative to have a mentors programme for your sites? Experts on the Board, SAC and in other institutions are willing to come to sites that want someone around them for a week to instill new ideas and have another opinion on current work. The Secretariat will cover the cost of the mentors’ visit. Please let me know if you need such support.

 

If you haven’t responded to the editorial group for our Fertility Monograph, please do so now. After a deadline we will go ahead - albeit reluctantly - to work with data from sites that submitted. It’s important – I urge you to be part of this activity.

 

17/38 HDSS sites have submitted data for the 2nd edition of the INDEPTH monograph on levels, patterns and trends in mortality at the sites. Please try to be part of this important book.

 

My colleague Ayaga Bawah has been reminding you about a Minimum Dataset that all sites should now submit to the Secretariat every year. These datasets will help us better characterize our member sites. We are asking for what we know you can generate; not more than that. So please let us hear from you soon.

 

An interesting network project is emerging – a study on the cost of illness at INDEPTH sites with a collaborating partner at a university in Germany. 10 sites from Asia and Africa are now reviewing a draft proposal. They will be looking for funding for the project. It is not too late to join if you have a health economist. Let me know.

 

I am pleased to let you know that the Kilifi HDSS site in Kenya will lead an INDEPTH study on epilepsy. I congratulate the group on securing funding for the study.

 

Finally, the INDEPTH Board will meet in Accra in early February. Among other things, the Board will review the Network’s 2007 technical and financial reports and the 2008 work plan and budget. If you have any issues you want me to pass on to the Board, please let me know this week.

 

I believe you are aware that you may write to me directly at any time; don’t consider my workload. I have committed colleagues assisting me.

 

Start with an exercise: A Letter to the Executive Director

 

What is it that you have been able to do at your site (scientific and capacity strengthening activities) which has/have largely been possible due to your membership of the INDEPTH network? That is, you couldn’t have been able to do those things alone or if at all, you couldn’t have done them very well alone at your site. Please write to me at: osman.sankoh@indepth-network.org. Your responses will appear on the SITE LEADERS CORNER on this website.

 

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