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An International network of DSS sites involved in demographic and health research in developing countries |
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INDEPTH News Bulletins Vol. 2007, 7 (December 2007)
In this edition:
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From the Executive Director ; Dr. Osman Sankoh INDEPTH session at UAPS conference Project on course - 2nd Edition of the INDEPTH Mortality Monograph Project takes off - INDEPTH Fertility Monograph Clustering of Mortality at INDEPTH sites Cross-site research on Education INDEPTH to set up a Reproductive Health Agenda INDEPTH @ 10: 8th AGM in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania New call for proposals for cross-site seed grants
From the Executive Director ; Dr. Osman Sankoh Dear INDEPTH family, I hope that you have enjoyed, are enjoying, and will continue to enjoy the Eid and Christmas festivities in grand style. On behalf of my team at the INDEPTH Secretariat and our Board of Trustees, I would like to wish you all a smooth slide into the New Year and continued success in health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) activities in 2008 and beyond.
I have just completed the first three months of my tenure as Executive Director of INDEPTH. I am pleased to inform you of an excellent start here in Accra, thanks to the support I have received from an efficient team at the Secretariat, a committed Scientific Advisory Committee, a committed and determined-to-move-INDEPTH-to-the-next-level Board of Trustees, an understanding and willing-to-stay-on-with-INDEPTH funder community, and, of-course, a Network that is willing to continue to do its work and do it well.
In the last quarter of 2007 the Secretariat was able to raise $2.3m for a 2-year period as core support from two of its funders, and a promising dialogue continues with other funders for specific cross-site projects. This has put us in a solid position to support more cross-site activities next year and to focus on getting out concrete INDEPTH products. I shall particularly encourage our sites to contribute to the 2nd Edition of the Mortality Monograph, the Fertility Monograph and other publications.
As we move into 2008, let me again highlight my vision for INDEPTH, which I shared with you during my acceptance of the position of Executive Director at the Nairobi AGM in September this year:
INDEPTH shall become top-of-mind when donors and policy-makers are looking for empirical health information to inform health policy in developing countries. Read More»
INDEPTH session at UAPS conference INDEPTH organized a session at the just ended Union for African Population Studies (UAPS) conference in Arusha, Tanzania, December 10-14, 2007. Our Senior Research Associate Dr. Ayaga Bawah convened the session Understanding Health and Population Dynamics through Longitudinal Demographic Surveillance Systems. The INDEPTH session attracted a large participation. Six papers, which generated a lot of discussion, were presented at the session.
On behalf of INDEPTH, the Secretariat wishes to congratulate our colleagues Dr. Eliya Zulu and Dr. Jeane-Francois Kobiane who have been appointed President and Vice President, respectively, of the Union of African Population Studies
Project on course - 2nd Edition of the INDEPTH Mortality Monograph Since its publication in 2002, the first INDEPTH Monograph on Mortality has generated a lot of interested and has been widely cited around the world. Five years down the line, our sites have collected a lot more data which the Network believes would enrich the volume even more, especially since we can now look at trends of mortality in addition to levels and patterns. Consequently, the Secretariat is strongly supporting a team of editors to work on the second edition of the monograph. The publication will have separate chapters on child and adult mortality, as well as causes of death at the participating sites. While in Arusha in mid December at the UAPS conference, the editors met and interrogated 16 datasets already submitted by INDEPTH sites for the second edition. The Secretariat is currently encouraging all its member sites to ensure that their data form part of the cross-site analysis of this important publication.
Project takes off - INDEPTH Fertility Monograph Almost all INDEPTH sites collect basic information that will allow the Network to contribute to the international literature on fertility issues in developing countries. The sites have nominated a team to the Secretariat to work on a fertility monograph. The editors are Dr. Jean-Christophe Fotso (African Population and Health Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya), Dr. William Muhwava (Africa Centre Demographic and Information System, Mtubatuba, South Africa), Prof. Clifford Odimegwu (Agincourt HDSS MRC/Wits, South Africa). The Secretariat is currently encouraging its member sites in Asia to nominate an editor to the group. The response from sites to the idea of a fertility monograph has been positive. The Secretariat will provide the required support to facilitate the production of a fertility monograph. Some Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) members have expressed keen interest in contributing their expertise to the monograph.
Clustering of Mortality at INDEPTH Sites Dodowa HDSS in Ghana will lead a new INDEPTH activity on the clustering of mortality at INDEPTH sites. This is an outgrowth of a collaboration among the three HDSS sites in Ghana, supported under the Hewlett HDSS-University programme. Dodowa, Kintampo and Navrongo sites are now writing up papers on the clustering of under-5 mortality at their sites. Using simple templates and a simple SatScan software, Dodowa aims to attract all INDEPTH sites to participate in a new monograph. The Secretariat is keen to support this activity.
Cross-site research on Education Although a lot of data are collected on education at INDEPTH sites, very little has been done by way of cross-site research on education. In order to change this situation and ensure that current work at the sites is harnessed into a cross-site activity, Dr. Jeane-Francois Kobiane of the Ouagadougou site in Burkina Faso will lead an interest group that aims to conduct research on education among INDEPTH sites. A brief concept and notes on this have already been sent to site leaders. Please contact the Secretariat in case you missed that information or visit the Site Leaders Corner on the INDEPTH website.
INDEPTH to set up a Reproductive Health Agenda Since 2002, the reproductive health interest group has been on the drawing board. The 2007 AGM in Nairobi, Kenya saw the rebirth of this interest group and discussions are being held to make sure that the group becomes vibrant. The Secretariat wants to make sure that reproductive health is on the key network agendas. More information will be provided.
INDEPTH to venture into climate change and health research The Executive Director, Osman, and Dr Yazoume Yé, Associate Research Scientist at the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC/Nairobi HDSS, Kenya) were hosted from 18-19 December 2007 at the Centre for International Health in Bergen, Norway to hold a dialogue on collaborative projects especially in the area of Climate Change and Health. Osman and Yazoume presented INDEPTH and the Network’s research plans in the area of climate change and health. Professor Bernt Lindtjørn and his colleagues presented the Centre for International Health, Climate Health Research at the University of Bergen and ongoing CIH research collaboration at some INDEPTH sites. INDEPTH and CIH ended their dialogue with concrete plans for the way forward. The Secretariat will revive the INDEPTH Environment and Health interest group so that the Bergen initiative can be moved forward. The Secretariat wishes to thank Dr. Alex Ezeh, Executive Director of APHRC for allowing his staff to represent INDEPTH
INDEPTH @ 10: 8th AGM in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania The Executive Director, on behalf of the board, is pleased to announce the venue for INDEPTH’s 8th Annual General and Scientific meeting. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the White Sand Hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from September 22-26, 2008. INDEPTH will celebrate its 10th year anniversary at the same hotel where its first constitution was written in 1998. The theme for the meeting is: INDEPTH@10: From Knowledge Generation to improved health policy and practice. Check the INDEPTH website for further information from time to time.
New call for proposals for cross-site seed grants With support from Sida/SAREC, INDEPTH launched in 2006, a seed grants programme with the aim of fostering research collaboration and research training at INDEPTH sites. The grant provides funds up to a maximum of $25,000 per grant to at least three member sites participating in a cross-site activity.
Six grants were successfully made in 2006. Based on the success of the programme, INDEPTH has received further support from Sida/SAREC to expand the programme. We are therefore pleased to announce another round of grants. For further details regarding these grants click here.
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