News & Updates

November 02 Issue 45

THE CARTA MONTHLY

Happy new month! Welcome to another edition of the CARTA monthly updates. Read on to keep abreast with what is new.

PROGRAM NEWS

Joint Advanced Seminar 3 Begins!

The virtual Joint Advanced Seminar 3 (JAS3) organized in collaboration with the University of Ibadan kicked off on October 4 and will run through to November 20, 2021. The CARTA Joint Advanced Seminars (JAS) are designed to enhance CARTA fellows’ skills and knowledge, guide them through the research process, and provide them with a foundation for building networks of researchers, peers, and mentors. The JAS 3 focuses on data presentation, doctoral dissertation, scientific writing and communication skills where experts in the field are engaged to guide the fellows on organising, discussing, and presenting their research findings.

CARTA Hosts a Round Table Discussion: Pharmacovigilance Protocols in Sub-Saharan Africa

As part of its campaign to celebrate surpassing the 100 graduate mark, CARTA held a round table discussion on October 27 titled “Pharmacovigilance Protocols in Sub-Saharan Africa.” The discussions centered around managing drug safety and why pharmacovigilance needs to be improved, especially with the recent introductions of various types of COVID-19 vaccines. The panelists also explored the challenges and concerns of the healthcare system in Sub-Saharan Africa in managing pharmacovigilance.


"International collaboration is key in pharmacovigilance and countries can work together towards better guidelines and harmonize regulation initiatives." ~ Hellen Ndagije, President, Africa chapter of International Society of Pharmacovigilance.


Watch it on our YouTube channel here.

Invitation to the JAS 3 Annual Public Lecture

The CARTA Joint Advanced Seminar 3 (JAS3) annual public lecture will take place on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. This year's lecturer is Professor Nimi Briggs who is the Pro-Chancellor of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike, Ebonyi State, Pro-Chancellor of the Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa and Chairman, Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Federal Universities in Nigeria.



Topic: COVID-19 pandemic: The politics of vaccine distribution- Implications and lessons for Africa.


Venue: Zoom


When: November 16, 2021, at 13:15 pm, EAT.

Register here

FELLOWS NEWS

Great News! Six CARTA Fellows Set to Graduate!



Join us in congratulating six of our fellows who have fulfilled the requirements for the award of their PhD degrees in our various partner institutions. This makes 116 fellows who have completed the requirements to receive their PhD. Congratulations to all our graduates!



Beatrice Maina (Cohort Six, APHRC)

PhD Degree: Public Health



Thesis title: Investigating the social co-construction of masculinity(ies) and sexual development among very young male adolescents in Korogocho slum in Nairobi, Kenya.

Jacob Mobolaji (Cohort Eight, Obafemi Awolowo University)

PhD Degree: Demography and Social Statistics 


Thesis title: Unmet Needs for Informal Support and Their Health Implications for Older Adults in Oyo State, Nigeria.

Cadmus Eniola (Cohort Seven, University of Ibadan)

PhD thesis title: Long term care preferences of older persons in rural and urban communities in Oyo State, Nigeria.


Cadmus was also promoted to the position of Senior Lecturer and we congratulate her for this achievement!

Marceline Finda (Cohort Seven, Ifakara Health Institute)

PhD thesis title: Awareness and acceptance of alternative technologies for malaria control among stakeholders in Tanzania: A community engagement process.

Olusola Olawoye (Cohort Seven, University of Ibadan)

PhD Degree: Clinical Epidemiology


Thesis title: Care seeking behaviours, medication adherence and follow-up compliance among Glaucoma patients in the South-West, Nigeria

Folashayo Adeniji (Cohort Eight, University of Ibadan)

PhD Degree: Health Economics



Thesis title:  The Economic Burden of Cardiovascular Disease in sub-Saharan Africa

Recognitions and Awards

Justin Awarded the RSTMH President’s Fund

Justin Kumala (Cohort Six Fellow, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences) is one of the four awardees of this year’s Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene fund. He was also granted a complimentary RSTMH membership for the duration of the three years of the fund which aims to support potential RSTMH members from low- and low-middle income countries by paying awardees’ annual membership subscription for three years.

"This award presents an opportunity to become part of a community of experts with a shared focus and vision of dealing with various infectious diseases, including the ones most pressing in my own community, like malaria," Justin said.



Read more about it here. 

Chisati Wins FIFA Award

Enock Chisati (Cohort Seven Graduate, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences) won a FIFA award of USD 200,000 to conduct a research project titled, "A community-based task-sharing approach to improve best Sports and Exercise Medicine practice in female football in low and middle-income settings." 

Kaindoa Amongst the 2021 JWO Research Grant Winners


Emmanuel Kaindoa (Cohort Five Graduate, Ifakara Health Institute), is one of the winners of the 2021 Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer (JWO) Research Grant aimed at early-career African scientists. The JWO Research Grant seeks to support African researchers focused on innovative research that will contribute to the advancement of environmental and allied sciences; and address relevant, real-world, African issues of current and future importance.

Olusola Appointed Secretary-General of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria

Olusola Olawoye (Cohort Seven Fellow, University of Ibadan) was elected as the Secretary-General of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria in September 2021. Besides, she also presented two papers from her PhD work at the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria conference on September 3. She was also invited as a health care expert in the field of glaucoma to give a lecture on the Step care approach in choice of Glaucoma medication in management to eye care specialists in Nigeria and Ghana.

Dieudonne Promoted and Appointed Deputy Team Leader of Research Sub-program

Dieudonne Uwizeye (Cohort One Graduate, University of Rwanda) was promoted to Senior Lecturer and appointed Deputy Team Leader of a research Sub-program in Peace, Conflict and Security Studies at the Center for Conflict Management, University of Rwanda. This is a 5-year program (2019-2024) funded by the Swedish Internal Development Agency (Sida). His main role will be to coordinate the research activities in the program which incorporates Master's, PhD, and Postdoctoral students. 


We congratulate him on these achievements!

Allen and Macellina Promoted in their Respective Institutions

Allen Ingabire (Cohort Ten Fellow, University of Rwanda) was promoted to Senior Lecturer of Surgery at the University of Rwanda.


Macellina Ijadunola (Cohort Six Graduate, Obafemi Awolowo University) was promoted to Associate Professor of Community Health by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.


We congratulate them on their achievement!

Presentations at Conferences

Molete Presents Paper at the ECTMIH

Primrose Molete (Cohort Six Graduate, University of the Witwatersrand) presented a paper titled 'Implementation of School Oral Health Programs in Gauteng, South Africa" at the 12th European Congress on Tropical Medicine & International Health (Virtual).

Adetutu Presents Papers at the ECTMIH and FESTMIH

Olufemi Adetutu (Cohort Seven Graduate, Obafemi Awolowo University), made two oral presentations at the 12th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health (ECTMIH 2021) held virtually from September 28 to October 1, 2021. The congress was organized by the University of Bergen, Norway, on behalf of the Federation of European Societies for Tropical Medicine and International Health (FESTMIH). The presentations were titled ‘Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Services of Women Internally Displaced by the Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria’ and ‘Denied and Disputed Paternity and Coping Strategies of Young Women in Nigeria.’ 


“The international conference put me in a good stead to discuss the findings of my research, gained from the critical contributions of scholars across the globe and created the window of opportunity for collaborative research networks,” Adetutu said.

PUBLICATIONS

Project BESPOKE (Integrated Bio-Behavioral Assessment of HIV and STI among Young Tertiary Student Men who have Sex with Men in Nairobi, Kenya): A Respondent-Driven Sampling Survey Protocol

Globally, men who have sex with men (MSM) are a key population for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. Among MSM, young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). In this study published in the Frontiers in Public Health, Samuel Mwaniki (Cohort Eight Fellow, University of Nairobi) aimed to: estimate the prevalence and correlates of HIV/STI among TSMSM; estimate population size of TSMSM; explore experiences of TSMSM with access and utilization of health services; and assess healthcare providers’ knowledge of, attitudes toward, and practices in provision of services to TSMSM.

Read more

Insecticide-Treated Eave Ribbons for Malaria Vector Control in Low-Income Communities

The eave ribbons technology exploits the natural house-entry behaviours of major malaria vectors to deliver mosquitocidal or repellent actives around eave spaces through which the Anopheles mosquitoes usually enter human dwellings. They confer protection by preventing biting indoors and in the peri-domestic outdoor spaces, and also killing a significant proportion of the mosquitoes. This article by Emmanuel Kaindoa (Cohort Five Graduate, Ifakara Health Institute) published in the BMC Malaria Journal reviews the evidence for the efficacy of the technology and discusses its potential as affordable and versatile supplementary approach for targeted and efficient control of mosquito-borne diseases, particularly malaria. 

Read more

Traditional Herbal Therapy for the Human Immune System

With more than 68% of the total number of people living with HIV/AIDS globally, sub-Saharan Africa is disproportionally affected by the commonest immuno-deficiency condition in the world. In the book 'Traditional Herbal Therapy for the Human Immune System', Anywar Godwin (Cohort six Fellow, Makerere University) published a chapter where he collates and synthesizes the most up-to-date scientific evidence supporting the use of eighteen widely used medicinal plant species with proven immunomodulatory activity.

Read more

COVID‑19 Outbreak and Dental Health Care Provision in Nigeria: a National Survey

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world is unprecedented, posing greater threats to vulnerable healthcare systems, especially in developing countries. In this study published in the BMC Oral Health, Foluso Atiba, (Cohort Eight Fellow, University of Ibadan) aimed to assess the knowledge of dental healthcare providers in Nigeria about the disease and evaluate their responses to the preventive measures necessitated by COVID-19.

Read more

OPPORTUNITIES

Call for Applications for SCRIPTS Research Training Fellowships for International PhD Students


The SCRIPTS fellowship call is open to applicants who are already enrolled in a PhD program from an academic institution in the Global South and their enrolment valid throughout the fellowship. The duration of the fellowship is maximum 12 months, paid in monthly rates of €1500 (travel and relocation expenses included).

 

Deadline: November 15, 2021

 

More details

Call for Applications for the 2022/2023 Akademie Schloss Solitude Fellowship


The Akademie Schloss Solitude Fellowship is open to applications from artists, scholars, scientists, and cultural and economic professionals. Scholarships are usually awarded for a period of six, nine or twelve months.


Deadline:  November 30, 2021

 

More details

Opportunity for Young Scientists to Attend Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings


This call is an invitation to young African scientists in the fields of Chemistry and closely related disciplines. Find the full call here. 


Applications should be submitted through the AAS Ishango Online System by November 4, 2021.


More details

Graduate Women in Science: National Fellowship Program



The Graduate Women In Science (GWIS) National Fellowship Program promotes knowledge in the natural and social sciences and encourages women’s academic and professional careers in the sciences. Awards will be made to women who hold a degree from a recognized institution of higher learning, who demonstrate outstanding ability and promise in research, and who are performing hypothesis-driven research at any institution in the U.S. or abroad.

 

Deadline: January 2022

 

More details

EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships


All applications must involve movement between countries (detailed information about mobility requirements is listed in the EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships guidelines).

 

Applications accepted throughout the year.



More details

Find more opportunities on our website here.



Disclaimer: The opportunities we share are mostly from external funders. Linking to an external site does not constitute an endorsement by CARTA.

Our Reads this Month

COVID-19 policies: Human rights approaches to protecting vulnerable groups in Africa



CARTA Graduates Henry Zakumumpa, Blessings Kaunda, Alexander Kagaha and CARTA facilitator Lenore Manderson, who were part of the AAS social sciences tele convenings published this policy brief. In this synthesis and analysis, they contribute to understanding how social interventions impact the human rights of vulnerable populations and identify proposals for a policy response to COVID-19 that better integrates the needs of these populations in Africa.

Read it here


Africa CDC: Who should replace John Nkengasong?


Africa CDC head, John Nkengasong, has been nominated to head the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in Africa, and the race to replace him is on. So, guess who is on the list of the potential candidates? None other than CARTA Co-Director, Catherine Kyobutungi!

Read more here

RESOURCES

Mesh Resources


Mesh is a collaborative, open access knowledge hub where community engagement practitioners, researchers, health workers and others can network, share resources and discuss good practice. View the resources page in the link below.


Find out more.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

Share with us news and updates such as upcoming events, meetings, story ideas, new collaborations, new trials/updates, upcoming and published papers, policy briefs, community engagement activities, scholarships, what you are reading, if you won a grant, attending or about an upcoming conference, a call for applications/funding/papers, etc.


Share these before November 22, 2021, to be included in the next CARTA news & updates, by sending an email to cartaenquiries@aphrc.org.

www.cartafrica.org

LinkedIn Share