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INDEPTH NEWS BULLETIN Vol. 2003, No.4, 2003 |
In this issue:
- Executive Director visits the Africa Centre (ACDIS DSS) South Africa and Nairobi DSS, Kenya
- Update on INDEPTH Working Groups
- The INDEPTH Secretariat continues to attract visitors
- Update on AGM 2004
Executive Director visits the Africa Centre (ACDIS DSS) South Africa and Nairobi DSS, Kenya
On top of the Executive Director Professor Fred Binka’s agenda this year are visits to INDEPTH member sites. After his visits to Rakai DSS, Uganda and Manhica DSS, Mozambique (see INDEPTH News Bulletin March 2003 for further details) he has completed visits to two more sites in South Africa and Kenya.
He was hosted on 29 March by the staff of the Africa Centre; the site leader is Dr. Kobus Herbst. The demographic surveillance area of the ACDIS is located south of the Hlabisa health district in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa covering an area of 1,430 km2. The population is predominantly Zulu consisting of 11,000 households.
On 16 April the Executive Director was hosted by the staff of the Nairobi Urban Demographic Surveillance System (NUDSS), run by the African Population and Health Research Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. The NUDSS operates in four of the city’s 30+ slums to monitor and evaluate the impact of health and livelihood interventions on health outcomes and covers about 120,000 people in 44,000 households.
Update on INDEPTH Working Groups
INDEPTH Working Groups (WGs) are often small teams focusing on specific research issues or themes that fall within the INDEPTH research portfolio. They are an important opportunity for fostering research collaboration within the Network. The Secretariat has developed guidelines for WGs that defines the relationship between them and the INDEPTH Secretariat; the central organization of the INDEPTH Network.
The current WGs are: Analysis/Model Life Tables; Malaria/Causes of Death; Health Equity; Human Resource Development; Health Interventions Platform; Reproductive Health (Maternal and Adolescents); Research to Policy and Practice; Migration and Urbanisation; Vaccinations and Child Survival; Adult Health; Data Systems; Ethics; and Environment and Health. Details on the WGs can be found on the working groups link on this Website.
The INDEPTH Secretariat continues to attract visitors
Located at Adenkum Loop, close to the flyover on the Kanda Highway in Accra-Ghana, the INDEPTH Secretariat is now accustomed to welcoming a variety of visitors who come to learn more about the activities of the Network, seek information on possible collaboration, hold discussions with the Executive Director, or simply stop by to see the team at work. Recent visitors to the Secretariat include: Dr. Angelo Stefanini and Mr. Cornelius J. Murombedza of the Gates Malaria Partnership; Professor Isabella A. Quakyi, Director of the School of Public Health at the University of Ghana; Ms Sandra Baldwiin of DFID Ghana; and Dr. Kobus Herbst, site leader of the ACDIS DSS, Somkhele, South Africa.
Update on AGM 2004
A recent telephonic conference held between the Secretariat and Dr. Kim Chuc, site leader of Filabavi DSS in Vietnam revealed that preparations for the 2004 INDEPTH Annual General and Scientific Meeting (AGM) are full on course. This bulletin will regularly update on developments.