Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives AbroadUGANDA DOSSIER
An initiative of theCANADIAN COALITION FOR
GLOBAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2012
A Pilot Project
COUNTRY DIRECTORY
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives Abroad
COUNTRY DIRECTORY
UGANDA DOSSIER2012
A Pilot Project
This dossier is meant to provide researchers and knowledge users with
information on Canadian-funded research being undertaken in Uganda.
Part of an initiative reacting to the need for increasing harmonization amongst researchers, it is meant to inform about
research projects currently underway, and provide links to people, projects, and
institutions.
A CCGHR Project supported by CIHR
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
4
IntroductionThis dossier is the result of a pilot project that has been developed by the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR) with the support of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR). The aim of this pilot project is to encourage better networking among Canadian global health researchers working within a specific low and middle-income country (LMIC), with the hopes of contributing to more harmonization and possible collaboration among Canadian global health researchers and LMIC research partners. This project concept responds to the international call for better coordination of overseas development dollars investments. In 2005, governments and development agencies agreed to the Paris Declaration – committing to the harmonization, alignment and better management of all overseas aid. In practice, however, little has changed. Programs and projects addressing LMIC health issues are rarely coordinated; inefficient duplication often follows. In the case of Canadian global health research, researchers are often unaware of each other’s work, and institutions (e.g. universities, agencies) have little knowledge of what other institutions are doing. The end result is research findings and processes that are scattered and isolated, with Canadian inputs rarely coalescing into a critical mass pushing for concerted, evidence-informed change. As such, this dossier has been drafted as a prototype for a partner country-focused directory, listing the people, projects, and institutions involved in global health research in a particular country--in this case, Uganda.
For ease of use, the dossier has been broken down into directories of people, projects, and institutions.
***Those using the PDF version of this file will note that any email address or website can be accessed by clicking on the desired page. Also, when available, clicking on the name of a person will take you directly to their website.
About the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research
The Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR) is a not-for-profit organization promoting better and more equitable health worldwide through the production and use of knowledge.
With an orientation toward health research challenges in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) to reduce health disparities, we are a Canada-based global network committed to:
• strengthening capacities of individuals, institutions and systems in Canada and LMICs to produce and use knowledge• speaking as Canada’s voice for global health research• building effective, equitable and respectful south-north research partnerships• connecting people, ideas and expertise• learning from and communicating our work
Learn more at: www.ccghr.ca
UGANDA 2012
5
Table of Contents
The Need for Harmonization........................................................................................6
What is Harmonization?...............................................................................................7
Methodologies..............................................................................................................8
In-Country Resources..................................................................................................9
People........................................................................................................................10
Projects......................................................................................................................14
Institutions..................................................................................................................27
Key Resources...........................................................................................................31
Why are we doing this?The need for Harmonization
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
Capacity Building
Sustainability
As with any pilot, early on in our work we faced the age-old question “Why are we doing this?” and ultimately, what do we want to accomplish. As mentioned, this pilot is a response to the 2005 Paris Declaration, and subsequent reports and acknowledgements that there is a lack of communication, coordination, and collaboration within the field of global health. Specific to Canada, this pilot is attempting to respond by gathering information on current research projects, and sharing that information, in order to encourage an awareness amongst researchers as to who is out there, what projects they are working on, and what institutions they are working for and/or with. In short, this dossier is meant to serve as a central tool to allow researchers and other knowledge users to know what Canadian-funded research is going on within a certain country, in this case, Uganda.
When meeting with colleagues to discuss this project, the reasons behind the need for harmonization from the LMIC perspective were addressed, with the outcomes summarized in three core areas that align with LMIC country priorities: Equity, Capacity Building, and Sustainability.
6
Equity By providing researchers, policymakers, and institutions in partner LMICs with information on researchers, projects, and institutions in Canada, they are able to better see who is doing what, who has expertise in what area, and ultimately can provide a better stream of information from which they can decide who may be best to partner with.
One of the crucial issues with lack of harmonization is the discon-nect that exists between not only researchers, but between knowl-edge users of all kinds. One of the goals of greater harmonization is a stronger communication structure, which would encourage the translation of research to policy, thus helping to strengthen existing health systems while simultaneously developing new capacities at individual, institutional, and system levels. Overall, the sharing and use of the knowledge gained from the various projects covered within this dossier is paramount to achieving these goals.
As is the nature of research funding, the span and scope of any one project is subject to time and resource constraints. By providing researchers and knowledge users with information regarding recently completed and/or current research projects, we hope to encourage long-term planning that may allow researchers to coordinate new project developments in a more sustainable manner. Thus, new projects could build on the results of similarly-oriented research, allowing new research to build on existing research, while also discouraging repetition in research. This reality would hopefully benefit partners in the south, as the results of work done in one time span could be built upon without the need for unnecessary legwork to be repeated at the start of each new research initiative.
The need for HarmonizationWhat is Harmonization?
UGANDA 2012
7
In early discussions at the outset of this project, one of the crucial points of discussion was defining exactly what was meant by “harmonization” in a global health context. As mentioned on the previous page, the Paris Declaration’s focus on alignment and harmonization has served as the foundation for this pilot project, and as such, harmonization in the context of this dossier is based on the overarching goal of removing obstacles to aid effectiveness. While this process is an ongoing one, with many viewpoints as to best methods and practices, it was agreed upon that harmonization can involve multiple combinations of three core practices--communication, coordination, and collaboration. In combination, these practices can catalyze positive change and help us all to work towards an effective and harmonized approach to global health. In the context of this dossier, these three core practices have been broadly defined as follows, with harmonization increasing as each practice is intentionally embraced at individual, institutional, and systemic levels:
Communication
Coordination
Knowledge-Sharing
Overall then, harmonization can be understood as the general sharing of information and ideas, so as to ensure that researchers and knowledge users are on “the same page” in terms of knowing who else is working in their field, what they are working on, and who they are working with. Such knowledge-sharing helps to avoid duplication and increase efficiency. While we would hope that increased communication, coordination, and collaboration may come from increased harmonization, we realize that such steps take time to develop and manifest themselves. Thus, harmonization can be seen as a mindful act--combining one or more of these three core ideas--taken to encourage a more unified approach to global health research within Canada and with our partner LMICs.
Collaboration
Efficiency, Not duplicating
Working togetherH
armonization
As many researchers are well aware, defining sound research methods is crucial to developing a strong and replicable research study. As we hope that the pilot dossiers that have come out of this project may serve to guide future dossier development, we’ve decided to provide methods used so as to encourage such action in the future. The following methods were used to guide this work:
8
Methods
Background Interviews: To initiate this project, the project team initiated background interviews with CCGHR members working in our pilot countries, explaining the goals of the project, and getting feedback as to best methods to achieve these goals. These meetings were crucial in addressing questions that the project team had not yet considered, providing feedback to the structure of the project, and giving us access to people, institutions, and databases that were crucial to this work. Overall, these interviews reinforced the necessity for, and value of, face-to-face discussion.
Funding Institution Scan: Canadian funding institutions were scanned for relevant projects that were being undertaken in the country in question. Those organizations were: CIHR, IDRC, & CIDA
Database Scan: The online database PubMed was scanned for publications relating to the country in question, specific to research that was Canadian-funded.
Snowballing: Using our initial contacts for each country, a snowball method was used to gather information on people and projects in each country. A small questionnaire was sent out to colleagues working in the specific country in question, and those people were asked to pass the questionnaire on to anyone else who was doing Canadian-funded global health research in the country.
Within Country Data Bases: Based on information provided by our initial contacts, within country data bases were accessed for further information.
Internet Searches: To fill in gaps in knowledge regarding people, projects, and institutions, internet searches were carried out.
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
Uganda High Commission
Ministry of HealthP.O. Box 7272 Kampala UgandaPlot 6 Lourdel Rd, NakaseroGeneral Telephone: 256-414-340874 /231563 /9
Permanent Secretary’s Office: 256-414-340872Fax: 256-41-4231584Email: [email protected]
http://health.go.ug/mohweb/
Policy Documentshttp://health.go.ug/mohweb/?page_id=170
9
In-CountryResources
UGANDA 2012
231 Cobourg StreetOttawa, OntarioCANADA, K1N 8J2Tel: 613.789.7797Fax: 613.789.8909Email: [email protected]
http://www.ugandahighcommission.com/
Ministry of Health
People
Dr. Walter KippUniversity of AlbertaDepartment of Public Health SciencesFocus: HIV/Aids
David MooreUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: HIV/Aids
Prabhroop Kaur SidhuUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: Social Sustainability, Nursing
Gina OgilvieUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: Reproductive Cancers, Screening & Prevention
Andrew MacnabUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: Brighter Smiles Africa
Maureen KendrickUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: Literacy & Health
Shafique PiraniUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: Uganda Sustainable Clubfoot Care Project
Charles LarsonUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: Child Mortality, Sepsis
10
Mark AnserminoUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: Perioperative Care, Wireless Cell Phone Oximeter
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
University of British Columbia
University of Alberta
***Please click on any individual name or email address to be directed to the desired link.
***Please click on any individual name or email address to be directed to the desired link.
Patricia SpittalUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: HIV/Aids
Martin SchechterUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: HIV/Aids
Brian WesterbergUniversity of British ColumbiaFocus: Otologic Surgery
11
UGANDA 2012
Jenn BrennerUniversity of CalgaryFocus: Healthy Child Uganda
Tel #: (403) 220-8331
Walter SchlechDalhousie UniversityFocus: HIV/Aids
Matthew SchnurrDalhousie UniversityFocus: GM Crops
Jean HarrowingUniversity of LethbridgeFocus: Experiences of HIV-positive widows
University of Calgary
Dalhousie University
University of Lethbridge
Allan RonaldUniversity of ManitobaFocus: HIV/Aids
Elly KatabiraMakarere UniversityFocus: HIV/Aids
University of Manitoba
McGill University
Frances AboudMcGill UniversityFocus: Parenting & Preschool Program Evaluations
James FordMcGill UniversityFocus: Diabetes Mellitus
Elias KumbakumbaMbarara University of Science & TechnologyFocus: Parenting & Preschool Program Evaluations
Kate ZinszerMcGill UniversityFocus: Malaria control & public health
McMaster University
Jean ChamberlainMcMaster UniversityFocus: Save the Mothers (STM) International
Susan WattMcMaster UniversityFocus: Save the Mothers (STM) International
Nalini SinghalUniversity of CalgaryFocus: Healthy Child Uganda
12
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
University of Ottawa
Nancy EdwardsUniversity of OttawaFocus: HIV Policy Development, Nursing
J-P VaccaniUniversity of OttawaFocus: Surgical Global Health Initiatives
Kenneth ChristieRoyal Roads UniversityFocus: Student Development partnership with Caritas Gulu Archdiocese
Royal Roads University
University of Saskatchewan
Olufemi (Femi) OlatunbosunUniversity of SaskatchewanFocus: International Women’s Health
Claire CardUniversity of SaskatchewanFocus: Ecohealth, Gender, Goats, and Governance ; Capacity building focused on transboundary animal diseases
Jerry HaighUniversity of SaskatchewanFocus: Wildlife-Human-Livestock Interface
Adil NazaraliUniversity of SaskatchewanFocus: Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
Angela KaidaSimon Fraser UniversityFocus: Fertility & Pregnancy
Simon Fraser University
University of Toronto
Kevin KainUniversity of TorontoFocus: Malaria, child health
Ella Aruth AnayaTrinity Western UniversityFocus: HIV/Aids
Trinity Western University
Lydia KapiririMcMaster UniversityFocus: Health Systems Strengthening, H1N1, HIV/Aids, Perinatal Conditions
John LavisMcMaster UniversityFocus: Knowledge Translation in LMICs
Do you know of someone involved in Canadian-funded health research in Uganda? If so, we’d love to hear from you, so we can add any missing information to future dossiers and data-bases.
Please email Dave Heidebrecht, Project Officer, at:
HAVE WE MISSED SOMEONE?
13
UGANDA 2012
Transferring a Rural Community-based HIV treatment program in Uganda from Researchers to local stakeholders: Can program success be maintained?
ABSTRACT Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) has transformed the lives of HIV-infected persons and their families in sub-Saharan Africa. However, access to HAART is still low in sub-Saharan Africa, where only 33% of those who need it can access it. One of the challenges is access to HAART by those living in rural areas located at a distance from existing hospital-based programs.
PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term sustainability of a community-based antiretroviral treatment (CBART) program that was established by our research team in western Uganda in 2005 in order to provide access to HAART to the rural population in this area. We will undertake a process to effectively hand over the program to the local health care system and community and evaluate their ability to sustain the activities and treatment outcomes of this program. If the approach to the HAART delivery can be maintained successfully over a 2-year period by the local stakeholders, this model could be confidentially recommended for replication in Uganda and elsewhere in Africa as truly viable and locally sustainable with desirable outcomes.
Projects
PI Contact:
Dr. Walter KippUniversity of AlbertaDepartment of Public Health Sciences
Funding: Canadian Institutes for Health ResearchProject Duration: 2010-2013
HIV Aids
PI Contact:
Dr. David MooreHIV AidsUniversity of British Columbia
Funding: Canadian Institutes for Health ResearchProject Duration: 2011-2014
PURPOSE Secondary data analyses from the home based AIDS care project. Canada-Africa Prevention Trials (CAPT) Network proposal to build African capacity for HIV/AIDS Prevention Trials.
14
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
***Please click on any individual name or email address to be directed to the desired link.
***Projects have been categorized alphabetically by the host institution
***Please click on any individual name or email address to be directed to the desired link.
Development and Evaluation of a Wireless Pulse Oximeter on a Cell Phone (iPleth) for safe perioperative care in Uganda
ABSTRACT Many technological advances in healthcare, such as pulse oximetry, have not been widely adopted in many developing countries. Inadequacies in financial resourc-es, infrastructure and a trained workforce are critical factors that have impeded its wide-spread adoption. In this project, the team proposed to develop and evaluate a wire-less pulse oximeter that uses a cell phone to analyze the information received from a sensor placed on the finger. The inherent ca-pabilities of a standard cell phone (which are widely available in underdeveloped areas) will be used to inteligently analyze and creatively communicate information from the sensor. The software interface will minimize the need for training and provide education on the use of the device.
PURPOSE For the initial prototype, the team used a readily available and FDA approved device for monitoring pulse oximetry. The device has wireless communication capability that will facilitate interfacing it to a cell phone. The novelty of ourimplementation will be the software (iPleth). We will use our advanced trend detection technology, to intelligently combine more than one physiological measurement (such as heart rate and oxygen saturation) with trend changes as an expert system. We will design a revolutionary and intuitive information display.
PI Contact:
Mark AnserminoUniversity of British Colum-bia
Funding: UBC Martha Piper Research FundProject Duration: 2009-2011
African Community Centre for Social Sustainability
ABSTRACT The project focuses on building a community partnership in order to create sustainable and effective health seminars to supplement Nurses’ education in Nakaseke, Uganda.
PURPOSE The seminars are taught to Nursing students and high school students in Nakaseke District, Uganda. Additionally, our research measures efficacy and knowledge retention of students taught the health seminars using pre and post test questionnaires. The project includes visiting communities, shadowing at Nakaseke and Mulago Hospitals and co-organizing two free community health days.
PI Contact:
Prabhroop Kaur Sidhu University of British ColumbiaGlobal Health [email protected]
Funding: UBC Global Health InitiativeProject Duration: 2009-Present
15
UGANDA 2012
Advances in Screening and Prevention in Reproductive Cancers
ABSTRACT The project focuses on prevention of cervical cancer using self collection of HPV.
PURPOSE The objective of the project is to explore the impact of the use of innovative collection methods to improve uptake of cervical cancer screening.
PI Contact:
Gina OgilvieBC Centre for Disease [email protected]
Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health ResearchProject Duration: 2010-2012
Brighter Smiles Africa
ABSTRACT The project’s objective is to provide Anti-retroviral treatment (ART) to dramatically reduce the risk of sexual and perinatal HIV transmission
PURPOSE Recent exciting successes with vaginal microbicides and the promise of antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) may offer additional protection against sexual transmission of HIV while allowing for conception. As well, understanding trends and predictors of fertility intentions, periconception behaviors, and pregnancy among HIV-affected couples is a critical step toward bio-behavioral reproductive counselling interventions to reduce sexual HIV transmission.
Mental Practice to improve Surgical performance of Otologic Surgery by Ugandan Otolaryngology residents
ABSTRACT In surgical education, superior outcomes have been demonstrated among residents who engage in computer-based and simulation learning activities; however, these activities are limited by expense, time, and access. Mental practice, the cognitive rehearsal of a task in the absence of overt physical movement, has been successfully used in sport and music for teaching complex psychomotor tasks. Mental Practice is free of cost, and accessible to all, even in the most resource poor environment, making it a perfect tool for Ugandan colleagues.
PURPOSE This project builds upon many years of our medical initiatives in Uganda. With the development of a fully equipped temporal bone lab by the Ontology team, we will make use of the temporal bone lab for intensive training of otolaryngology trainees to develop their skills in performing a mastoidectomy, and will use the opportunity to assess the efficacy of mental practice in the operating room prior to performance of tympanoplasty surgery.
PI Contact:
Brian WesterbergUniversity of British [email protected]
Funding: UBC Branch for International Surgery Schol-arship (Dadgostar)Project Duration: 2011-Present
16
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
ABSTRACT The project con-tinues the 6-year collabora-tive partnership between the College of Health Sciences at Makerere University, Kampala and UBC Faculty of Medi-cine. Students and faculty have health promoting school programs in place in Ugandan rural communities where they provide health education and support, community-based learning, and undertake a variety of evaluative and research activities.
PURPOSE Community driven health promotion based on the WHO health promoting (HP) schools model. The entry point is improvement of oral health. Publications report the evolution of the programs in each community. Confidence gained with success with oral health leads to other topics being addressed. E.g. Clean water and sanitation, malaria prevention, and nutrition. The success of this program contributed to the call for an international colloquium on HP schools. Just held in Stellenbosch University in South Africa (Nov 2011) this resulted in the Stellenbosch statement on HP schools and will be the subject of a focus issue in Health Education on the research presented at the colloquium.
PI Contact:
Andrew MacnabGlobal Health [email protected]
Funding: UBC Global Health InitiativeProject Duration: 2011-Ongoing
Determining HIV related vulnerabilities among conflict-affected populations in Gulu and Amuru Districts in Northern Uganda
PI Contact:
Patricia Spittal University of British [email protected]
Funding: National Institutes of HealthProject Duration: 2011-2013
Literacy, Health, and Development: A Ugandan case study
ABSTRACT Organizations that docu-ment the social challenges of developing countries frequently cite literacy levels and health services as important indica-tors of progress. This research also suggests that if women and girls partici-pate in social and educational programs, the impact of such programs is greatly enhanced. In our study, we wish (i) to investigate the relationship between literacy and health in development contexts by examining how community-based programs respond to the literacy demands of the health care system; (ii) to determine the extent to which women and girls are active in such community-based programs, and what their literacy practices are outside of the program; and (iii) to establish what literacy prac-tices they identify as important to the health of the community. Our goal is to conduct a pilot study in Uganda, an African country that is struggling to im-prove its social and economic infrastruc-ture after post-independence political turmoil,. Findings from this study will form the basis of a larger-scale research project which we hope will be funded by CIDA in 2005.
PURPOSE Over the past two years, the researchers have developed relationships with two community-based programs in Uganda. One program, Uplift Uganda, aims to foster social and economic transformation for rural women, men, and children through the provision of a needs-based functional literacy program. A second program, the Youth Millenium Project (YMP), is a UBC initiative that involves over 10,000 young people in 80 countries internationally (see www.ympworld.org), with five projects currently underway in Uganda. Its goal is to involve youth in projects aimed at improving the quality of life of community members. Our preliminary research indicates that both Uplift Uganda and YMP Uganda target improved health as important goals for community development, and that each program presupposes knowledge of a range of literacy practices. Both programs have indicated that there is an urgent need for research to investigate the effectiveness of their community initiatives, but neither has the funds to support a research agenda.
PI Contact:
Maureen KendrickUniversity of British [email protected]
Funding: UBC Hampton FundProject Duration: 2003-2005
17
UGANDA 2012
Barriers to the Effective Treatment of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media in Uganda
ABSTRACT Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is responsible for con-siderable disease burden, primarilyin low- and middle-income countries. The disease and its complications are preventable with effective treatment, but millions of patients are not accessing appropriate care. We aim to identify barriers to treatment access faced by Ugandan patients with CSOM so that rational programs to improve outcomes can be designed and implemented.
PURPOSE Patients of all ages attending three different ear clinics in Uganda in October and November 2009, were asked to participate if they had a history of six or more weeks of purulent otorrhea. Semi-structured interviews were performed to identify access barriers. The barriers were divided into affordability, availability and accessibility categories.
PI Contact:
Brian WesterbergUniversity of British [email protected]
Funding: UBC Branch for International Surgery ScholarshipProject Duration: 2009-Present
ABSTRACT The purpose of the Uganda Sustainable Clubfoot Care Project (US-CCP) is to make available in a sustainable fashion a universal, effective, ef-ficient, and safe treatment of the congenital clubfoot deformity in Uganda. The USCCP is a collaborative project between Maker-ere University, UBC and the Ugandan Ministry of Health.
PURPOSE The project would implement the following to achieve these objectives: Integrate the Ponseti Method within the Ugandan Healthcare System using a “train the trainer” approach so that a Ugandan child born with a clubfoot would be detected immediately and taken to the hospital for treatment; build capacity for Uganda’s Healthcare Training Institutions to train Uganda’s future healthcare workers in the detection of clubfeet and its management by the Ponseti Method; and ensure the availability of Plaster of Paris and Steinbeck braces needed for the procedure by working with the Ministry of Health and setting up a consistent supply chain.
Under five mortality in Uganda following hospitalization for Sepsis: A Prospective Cohort Study
ABSTRACT Worldwide, seven million children under five die annually. Most of these deaths occur in resource poor countries and are preventable. The majority of child deaths are a result of sepsis, a syndrome arising from severe infections. While extensive literature exists regarding hospital-based interventions to reduce child mortality due to sepsis, no studies have been conducted investigating predictors of death following discharge. Knowledge of these predictors is critical for several reasons. First, children can be categorized into high and low risk groups based on the presence or absence of predictors. This will allow closer monitoring following discharge to potentially avert mortality in high risk groups. Second, risk predictors will be used in the design of clinical trials so that treatments can be developed, tested and eventually implemented to reduce sepsis related deaths following hospitalization.
PURPOSE The program’s research aims to identify a group of children under age five hospitalized for suspected sepsis at two hospitals in Mbarara district, and to follow them for a period of six months following discharge. Through this research, we hope to identify important, modifiable predictors of child death following discharge.
PI Contact:
Matt Wiens & Charles LarsonUniversity of British [email protected]
Funding: Child and Family Research InstituteProject Duration: 2011-2013
Partners in Prevention HIV Discordant Couples Trial
ABSTRACT The project focuses on HIV discordant couples and HIV prevention.
PURPOSE Individuals are randomized into three arms to see if we can intervene to prevent HIV transmission.
PI Contact:
Allan Ronald & Elly KatabiraUniversity of [email protected]
Funding: Bill and Melinda Gates FoundationProject Duration: 2008-2012
18
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
Uganda Sustainable Clubfoot Care Project
PI Contact:
Dr. Shafique PiraniUniversity of British [email protected]
Funding: Canadian International Development AgencyProject Duration: 2006-2010
Healthy Child Uganda
ABSTRACT This project aims to improve the health and survival rates of pregnant women, newborns, and young children living in the Bushenyi and Rubirizi districts in southwest Uganda. It focuses on strengthening district health systems, improving health centres’ delivery of services, community programming, and sharing project results and lessons learned.
PURPOSE The project is designed to improve access for approximately 340,000 people, including 40,000 pregnant women and over 74,000 children under five to basic health services at more than 30 health centres, and train over 180 health centre staff and over 4,200 community health care workers inpreventive and critical care. Activities include: upgrading health centres’ equipment; training community and health care workers; encouraging early treatment for acute illness; and analyzing the project’s early results and sharing the Bushenyi model through the media and meetings with government planners.
PI Contact:
Jenn Brenner & Jerome KabakyengaUniversity of Calgary(403) [email protected]
Funding: Canadian International Development AgencyProject Duration: 2012-2015
Can GM Crops help African farmers? Investigating attitudes and intentions to adopt GM matooke banana in Uganda
ABSTRACT This research project will be the first to use a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the appropriateness of GM technology for smallholder African farmers. This project combines quantitative and qualitative methodologies to determine whether GM versions of matooke banana - the country’s primary carbohydrate staple, are a good fit with the environmental, political, and cultural contexts of the intended adopters, smallholder farmers.
PURPOSE The goal of the proposed research is to design a new methodological program to provide rigorous and representative data on farmer attitudes to GM technology prior to its commercial release, thus providing reliable estimates of potential adoption rates. The perspectives of small-holder African farmers will be brought to the fore of the debate around GM crops, and facilitate the creation of breeding programs and policies that reflect the farmers’ priorities and concerns.
PI Contact:
Matthew SchnurrDalhousie [email protected]
Funding: Dalhousie University Research Development FundsProject Duration: 2009-Present
19
UGANDA 2012
HIV/AIDS-Related Stigma in Rural Uganda: The Experiences of HIV Positive Widows
ABSTRACT This qualitative study explores the experiences of HIV-positive widows in rural Uganda, particularly those related to stigma and its impact on the women and their families. HIV-related stigma has been reported to contribute to the perpetuation of the epidemic in this country, but little is known about its mani-festation in this group of women. Nor has the capacity of these women to cope with the obstacles of daily life been examined to any great extent.
PURPOSE In order to learn more about this phenomenon, ten women were interviewed with the assistance of an interpreter, over eight weeks in 2011. Data analysis is currently underway.
PI Contact:
Katie Taylor (4th yr honours)Jean Harrowing (Co-I)University of [email protected]
Funding: Self-fundedProject Duration: 2011-2012
Parenting and Preschool Program Evaluations
ABSTRACT The project evaluates the impact of parenting programs and preschool programs of Plan Uganda on the health, growth and development of young children.
PURPOSE Research involves interviews of caregivers, observations of the quality of delivered programs, and testing of young children.
Indigenous Health Adaption to Climate Change
ABSTRACT The Project involves a multinational interdisciplinary team to develop an understanding of the vulnerability of remote Indigenous health systems to climate change as a basis for implementing pilot adaptation interventions and adaptation planning. The program reflects needs identi-fied by community, government, and Indigenous organization partners dur-ing pilot research with Inuit (Canada), Pygmy (Uganda), and Shipibo and Shawi populations (Peru).
PURPOSE The overall aim of the research program is to apply scientific and Indigenous knowledge to empower Indigenous communities to adapt to the health effects of climate change on health by: characterizing current vulnerability, estimating future vulnerability, implementing and monitoring pilot interventions, comparing analysis, developing adaptation plans, creating adaptation leaders, and creating an Indigenous Knowledge Bank.
PI Contact:
James Ford, Alejandro Llanos, & Shaib Lwasa (Co-PIs)McGill [email protected]
Funding: International Development Research Agency,Tri-Councils (IRIACC initiative)Project Duration: 2011-2013
Evaluating Knowledge-Translation Platforms (KT) in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries
ABSTRACT The Project’s key objective is to develop a theoretical framework to allow those involved in designing, managing, governing, and funding knowledge-translation platform activities, outputs, (infra)structure, and context that will lead to priority-setting processes, policy briefs and policy dialogues; and optimize desired outcomes and impact of overall efforts by KT platforms.
PURPOSE The plan of the project is to evaluate the three most innovative activities: priority-setting processes, policy briefs, and policy dialogues by each KT platform, including annual survey of activities and outputs; evaluate thrice the outcomes in each platform jurisdiction; and assess, using a case study approach, whether the desired impact has taken into account health research evidence.
PI Contact:
John LavisMcMaster [email protected]
Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health ResearchProject Duration: 2010-2014
20
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
PI Contact:
Frances Aboud & Elias KumbakumbaMcGill [email protected]
Funding: Plan UgandaProject Duration: 2010-2013
Enhancing Malaria Control: Understanding Malaria predictors and public health perspectives in Uganda
ABSTRACT Many international agencies have made reducing the burden of malaria a priority. Consequently, substantial resources have been channeled into malaria prevention and control efforts. These include the mass distribution of antimalarial medications, intermittent preventive treatments, insecticide-treated bednets, insecticide spraying, and educational campaigns. In this contrext, it is critical that public health authorities can accurately measure and predict the burden of malaria to understand the real world effectiveness of funded prevention and control measures. The goal of the research project is to enhance malaria control by developing accurate forecasts of malaria for six different sites in Uganda and to identify how forecasting models can feasibly be incorporated into public health practice to support decision-making in malaria control settings.
PURPOSE This project involves developing and evaluating malaria forecasting models in Uganda, based upon environmental and non-environmental predictors. The models will be tailored for implementation, based upon the perspectives of personnel involved in malaria prevention and control programs in Uganda.
PI Contact:
Kate Zinszer (PhD Candidate)David Buckeridge (Supervisor)McGill [email protected]
Funding: International Development Research Centre, Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec, Faculty of MedicineProject Duration: 2010-2013
Save the Mothers (STM) International
ABSTRACT In 2005, STM launched its first partnership program at Uganda Christian University (ICU), near Uganda’s capital, Kampala, aimed at reducing the obstacles to safe childbirth. This training program for leaders in Uganda, leading to a Master’s degree in Public Health Leadership, equips professionals from diverse professions to make a difference in their sphere of influence, giving them the tools and skills they need to become strong advocates for change and to build new societal infrastructures.
PURPOSE Students are working professionals who study on a part-time basis, modular basis over two years, completing the program with an intensive outreach project that challenges them to reenter their sphere of influence and prove that their new found skills will make a difference. It is designed so participants can continue to work while studying. Students reside in the newly-constructed Save the Mothers Training Centre, Mirembe Hall, built at UCU specifically for the program.
PI Contact:
Jean ChamberlainMcMaster [email protected]
Funding: DonationsProject Duration: 2005-Present
21
UGANDA 2012
ABSTRACT In LICs where resourc-es are extremely scarce, health care spending decisions mean life or death for many. This makes it critical that health sector PS is done well, and that planners have tools to enable them to assess how well they are doing. However, while there have been efforts to improve priority setting processes, there has been limited focus on quality indica-tors and frameworks for evaluat-ing successful priority setting in these low-income countries. Such frameworks would be instrumental in providing guidance for policy makers who might want to improve their priority setting.
PURPOSE This proposal seeks to address this critical gap with the overall aim of establishing a conceptually robust and field tested framework for evaluating Priority Setting (PS) in Low Income Countries (LICs). The specific objectives of our research are: 1. To establish consensus (among researchers and policy makers) on quality indicators for macro-level health sector priority setting in LICs, beginning from the quality indicator framework developed by Kapiriri et al. 2. To use the framework to undertake a case study in a specific LIC, Uganda, to explore and evaluate macro-level PS with particular focus on H1N1, HIV and perinatal conditions 3. To revise and refine the framework based on the evidence gathered, and to disseminate it widely to policy makers, health planners, and health researchers internationally.
PI Contact:
Lydia KapiririMcMaster [email protected]
Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health ResearchProject Duration: 2011-2015
Strengthening Nurses’ Capacity in HIV Policy Development in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean
ABSTRACT The Program involves researchers and research users from two regions with the highest prevalence of HIV in the world, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean who collaborate with Canadian colleagues to undertake innovative, multi-country comparative studies and capacity-building strategies to improve HIV and AIDS policices and practices.
PURPOSE The goal of this multidisciplinary program is to contribute to health systems strengthening for HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean by improving the quality of HIV and AIDS nursing care, supporting the scaling-up of innovative HIV and AIDS programs and practices, and fostering dynamic and sustained engagement of researchers and research users in the policy development process.
PI Contacts:
Nancy EdwardsUniversity of [email protected]
Walter SchlechDalhousie [email protected]
Funding: Global Health Research InitiativeProject Duration: 2007-2012
Development of Reproductive and Sexual Health Curriculum for Undergraduate Medical Students
ABSTRACT Clinical activities related to Teaching - Chairing a working group on the Development of Reproductive and Sexual Health Curriculum for undergraduate medical students for piloting in Kampala, Uganda and Pakistan.
Olufemi (Femi) OlatunbosunUniversity of [email protected]
Project Duration: 2002-Present
22
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
Strengthening Health Systems in Low-Income Countries through improved Priority Setting: The Case of H1N1, HIV and Perinatal Conditions
Increased Frequency of Visits improves the efficiency of Surgical Global Health Initiatives
PURPOSE This proposal seeks to address this critical gap with the overall aim of establishing a conceptually robust and field tested framework for evaluating Priority Setting (PS) in Low Income Countries (LICs). The specific objectives of our research are: 1. To establish consensus (among researchers and policy makers) on quality indicators for macro-level health sector priority setting in LICs, beginning from the quality indicator framework developed by Kapiriri et al. 2. To use the framework to undertake a case study in a specific LIC, Uganda, to explore and evaluate macro-level PS with particular focus on H1N1, HIV and perinatal conditions 3. To revise and refine the framework based on the evidence gathered, and to disseminate it widely to policy makers, health planners, and health researchers internationally.
PI Contact:
J-P VaccaniUniversity of [email protected]
Students for Development Partnership between Royal Roads University and Caritas Gulu Archdiocese
ABSTRACT The Project’s overall goal is for RRU interns to assist the Caritas Gulu Archdiocese in their goal to improve the living conditions of the population of the Gulu Archdiocese.
PURPOSE Assist in the provision of basic human needs to the most vulnerable people in the communities, promote a sustainable development process, and contribute toward the establishment of lasting peace in the communities and the region.
PI Contact:
Kenneth ChristieRoyal Roads [email protected]
Funding: Canadian International Development AgencyProject Duration: 2011-2014Partners: Caritas Gulu Archdiocese
Ecohealth, Gender, Goats, and Governance in Rural Uganda
ABSTRACT An Ecohealth approach to empower women from HIV/AIDS affected households through: sustainable agriculture and restoration of the environment; better food and water security; improvements in human health; policy advocacy for the land rights for women, and access to micrecredit.
PI Contact:
Claire Card, Adil Nazarali & Carol Henry (Co-PIs)University of [email protected]
Project Duration: 2007-Present
23
UGANDA 2012
Project Duration: 2011-2012
Wildlife-Human-Livestock Interface
PI Contact:
Jerry HaighUniversity of [email protected]
Project Duration: 2011-Present
Pharmacy & Nutrition Health Assessment MOU
ABSTRACT The University of Saskatchewan Colleges and Schools of Health Sciences have signed an MOU with Mbarra University. This MOU will facilitate a multi-disciplinary student experience project lead by Adil Nazarali in Pharmacy and Nutrition. Groups of students from various colleges will be paired with a Ugandan group and collectively assess the health of a Ugandan village over a period of 5 weeks.
PI Contact:
Adil NazaraliUniversity of [email protected]
Project Duration: 2011-PresentPartners: Mbarra University
Fertility desire and Pregnancy in a cohort of discordant Ugandan couples on ART
ABSTRACT The Project’s objectives are to examine the prevalence and predictors of fertility desire and reproductive behaviour, including incidence of pregnancy among HIV-positive women and men on ART who report HIV-negative partners, and explore attitudes toward biologic interventions to reduce sexual transmission conception.
PURPOSE Analyze longitudinal trends and predictors of fertility desire and behavior among ART-treated women and men with HIV-negative partners by key biological, behavioral, social and structural predictors.
PI Contact:
Angela KaidaSimon Fraser [email protected]
Funding: National Institute for Child Health and DevelopmentProject Duration: 2011-Present
24
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
Capacity Building in Integrated Management of Transboundary Animal Diseases and Zoonoses
PI Contact:
Claire CardUniversity of [email protected]
Combinations of Host Biomarkers Predict Mortality among Ugandan Children with Severe Malaria: A Retrospective Case-Control Study
ABSTRACT Severe malaria is a leading cause of childhood mortality in Africa. However, at presentation, it is difficult to predict which children with severe malaria are at greatest risk of death. Dysregulated host inflammatory responses and endothelial activation play central roles in severe malaria pathogenesis. We hypothesized that biomarkers of these processes would accurately predict outcome among children with severe malaria.
PURPOSE The project team identified novel host biomarkers of pediatric severe and fatal malaria (soluble TREM-1 and soluble Flt-1) and generated simple biomarker combinations that accurately predicted death in an African pediatric population. While requiring validation in further studies, these results suggest the utility of combinatorial biomarker strategies as prognostic tests for severe malaria.
PI Contact:
Kevin Kain & Robert Opoka (Co-PIs)University of [email protected]
Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Genome Canada, International Society of Blood Transfusion Foundation, National Blood Foundation, Mr. Kim KirkwoodProject Duration: 2011-2014
Inhaled Nitric Oxide for the Adjunctive Therapy of Severe Malaria: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
ABSTRACT Severe malaria is a leading cause of childhood mortality in Africa. However, at presentation, it is difficult to predict which children with severe malaria are at greatest risk of death. Dysregulated host inflammatory responses and endothelial activation play central roles in severe malaria pathogenesis. We hypothesized that biomarkers of these processes would accurately predict outcome among children with severe malaria.
PURPOSE The project team identified novel host biomarkers of pediatric severe and fatal malaria (soluble TREM-1 and soluble Flt-1) and generated simple biomarker combinations that accurately predicted death in an African pediatric population. While requiring validation in further studies, these results suggest the utility of combinatorial biomarker strategies as prognostic tests for severe malaria.
PI Contacts:
Kevin Kain & Robert Opoka (Co-PIs)University of [email protected]
Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Doctoral Research Award and Clinician-scientist award, and Mr. David S. “Kim” KirkwoodProject Duration: 2011-2013
25
UGANDA 2012
ABSTRACT Limited tools exist to identify which individuals infected with Plasmodium falciparum are at risk of developing serious complications such as cerebral malaria (CM). The objective of this study was to assess serum biomarkers that differentiate between CM and non-CM, with the long-term goal of developing a clinically informative prognostic test for severe malaria.
PURPOSE The study concluded that ANG-1 and the ANG-2/1 ratio are promising clinically informative biomarkers for CM. Additional studies should address their utility as prognostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in severe malaria.
Nitric oxide for the adjunctive treatment of severe malaria: Hypothesis and Rationale
ABSTRACT The investigators hypothesized that supplemental inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) will improve coutcomes in children with severe malaria receiving standard antimalarial therapy. The rationale for the hypothesized efficacy of iNO rests on: 1) biological plausibility, based on known actions of NO in modulating endothelial activation; 2) pre-clinical efficacy data from animal models of experimental cerebral malaria; and 3) a human trial of the NO precursor l-arginine, which improved endothelial function in adults with severe malaria. iNO is an attractive new candidate for the adjunctive treatment of severe malaria, given its proven therapeutic efficacy in animal studies, track record of safety in clinical practice and numerous clinical trials, inexpensive manufacturing costs, and ease of administration in settings with limited healthcare infrastructure. The investigators plan to test this hypotheses in a randomized controlled trial.
PURPOSE The study will be a prospective, parallel arm, randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded clinical trial of adjunctive continuous inhaled nitric oxide at 80 ppm versus placebo (both arms in addition to standard anti-malarial therapy), among children 1 - 10 years of age with severe malaria. The study will be conducted at a single pediatric hospital in Jinga, Uganda. Jinga Regional Referral Hospital admits at least 175 children with severe malaria annually (excluding cases of severe malarial anemia), representing over 30% of all admissions.
Teaching HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention in Uganda and Kenya
PI Contact: Ella Aruth AnayaTrinity Western [email protected]
Funding: Personal
26
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
Serum Angiopoietin-1 and -2 Levels Discriminate Cerebral Malaria from Uncomplicated Malaria and Predict Clinical Outcome in African Children
PI Contacts:
Kevin Kain & Robert Opoka (Co-PIs)University of [email protected]
Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Genome Canada, the NIH Fogarty International Centre, and the McLaughlin Centre for Molecular MedicineProject Duration: 2011-2014
PI Contacts:
Kevin Kain & Robert Opoka (Co-PIs)University of [email protected]
Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Genome Canada, CIHR Clinician-Scientist Training Award and the McLaughlin-Rotman Foundation for Global HealthProject Duration: 2011-2013
School of Public HealthUniversity of Alberta3-300 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy11405 – 87 AveEdmonton, AB T6G 1C9Canada
Website: http://www.publichealth.ualberta.ca/research/global_health.aspxhttp://www.ih.ualberta.ca/
Phone: 780.492.9954Fax: 780.492.0364
Email: [email protected]
Institutions
B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS608 - 1081 Burrard StreetVancouver, B.C., Canada V6Z 1Y6
Website:http://www.cfenet.ubc.ca/
Phone: 604-806-8477Fax: 604-806-9044
Email: [email protected]
Division of Global HealthFaculty of MedicineUniversity of British Columbia1081 Burrard StreetVancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6
Website:http://globalhealth.med.ubc.ca/
Phone: 604-682-2344 Local: 62871Fax: 604-806-8499
CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network620B – 1081 Burrard StreetVancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6
Website:http://www.hivnet.ubc.ca/
Phone: 604-806-8327Fax: 604-806-8210Toll Free: 1-800-661-4664
Global Health & International PartnershipsFaculty of MedicineUniversity of CalgaryDean’s Office, 7th Floor, TRW Building3330 Hospital Drive NWCalgary, Alberta Canada T2N 4N1
Website:http://www.ucalgary.ca/ghealth/
Phone: (403) 220-8323Fax: (403) 270-1828
27
UGANDA 2012
***Please click on any institutional logo and website or email address to be directed to the desired link.
Faculty of Health SciencesUniversity of Lethbridge4401 University Drive Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4 Canada
Website:http://www.uleth.ca/healthsciences/
Phone: (403) 329-2699Fax: (403) 329-2668
Email: [email protected]
The Centre for Global Public HealthUniversity of ManitobaCommunity Health SciencesR070 Med Rehab Bldg.771 McDermot AvenueWinnipeg, ManitobaR3E 0T6Canada
Website:http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/medicine/units/community_health_sciences/depart-mental_units/cgph/
Phone: (204) 272-3123Fax: (204) 789-3718
E-mail: [email protected]
McGill Global Health ProgramsMcGill UniversityRoom 42, Purvis Hall, 1020 avenue des Pins Ouest Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A2
Website:http://www.mcgill.ca/globalhealth/
Phone: 514-398-2236 Fax: 514-398-4503
Email: [email protected]
Global Health OfficeFaculty of Health SciencesMcMaster University1200 Main St. West, MDCL 3500Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8N 3Z5
Website:http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/globalhealthoffice/
Phone: +905-525-9140, ext. 22581Fax: +905-522-5493
Email: [email protected]
28
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
Global Health OfficeDalhousie UniversityC-241, 5849 University AvenuePO Box 15000Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2Canada
Website:http://gho.medicine.dal.ca/
Phone: +1.902.494.1965Fax: +1.902.494.2799
Email: [email protected]
Centre for Global HealthUniversity of Ottawa1 Stewart St.Ottawa, OntarioK1N 6N5
Website:http://www.cgh.uottawa.ca/eng/index.html
Phone.: 1-613-562-5800 ext.1945Fax: 1-613-562-5659
Email: [email protected]
Global Health InitiativeCollege of MedicineUniversity of SaskatchewanB103 Health Sciences107 Wiggins RoadSaskatoon, SaskatchewanCanada S7N 5E5
Website:http://www.medicine.usask.ca/leadership/social-accountability/initiatives/global-health/index.html
Phone: (306) 966-1246
Email: [email protected]
Faculty of Health SciencesSimon Fraser UniversityBlusson Hall, Room 113008888 University DriveBurnaby, B.C.V5A 1S6
Website:http://www.fhs.sfu.ca/
Phone: 778-782-4821Fax: 778-782-5927
Email: [email protected]
Global Health Division - Strategic InitiativesDalla Lana School of Public HealthFaculty of Medicine, University of TorontoHealth Sciences Building400- 155 College StreetToronto, OntarioCanada M5T 3M7
Website:http://cih.utoronto.ca/
Phone: 416-946-7909
Email: [email protected]
29
UGANDA 2012
30
Harmonizing Canada’s Health Research Initiatives
Makarere UniversityP.O. Box 7062,Kampala, Uganda
Website:http://mak.ac.ug/
Phone: +256 414 532631 - 4
Email: [email protected]
Mbarara University of Science and TechnologyP.O BOX 1410, Mbarara, Uganda
Website:http://www.must.ac.ug/must2.php
Phone: +256-4854-21373Fax: +256-4854-20782
Email: [email protected]
Gulu UniversityPO Box 166,Gulu, Uganda
Website:http://www.gu.ac.ug/
Phone: +256 71 531879
Email: [email protected]
Uganda Christian UniversityP. O. Box 4, Mukono, Uganda
Website:http://www.ucu.ac.ug
Phone: (+256) 31 235 0800
Email: [email protected]
HAVE WE MISSED SOMETHING? Do you know of projects or universities involved in Canadian-funded health research in Uganda that aren’t mentioned here? If so, we’d love to hear from you, so we can add any missing information to future dossiers and data-bases.
Please email Dave Heidebrecht, Project Officer, at:
31
UGANDA 2012
Key Resources
Alignment and Harmonization in Health ResearchSynthesis ReportAHA Study - COHRED2008
Available online: http://www.cohred.org/publications/cohred-publica-tions/alignment-and-harmonization/synthesis-report/
Alignment and Harmonization in Health ResearchUganda ReportAHA Study - COHRED2008
Available online: http://www.cohred.org/publications/cohred-publica-tions/alignment-and-harmonization/uganda/
***Please click on any document image or website to access a link to the specific document
PublicationsKThe online medical literature portal PubMed was used to scan publications related to the research summarized in this dossier. Given the vast number of publications available, we have decided not to include publications, but encourage interested parties to visit the following website to search for authors or projects that they have found within this dossier:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
HAVE IDEAS FOR FUTURE DOSSIERS?
Contact Us:Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research
This dossier is an initiative of:
With support from:
