PHM Africa Learning Space

The Beit Trust Scholarships for postgraduate studies to study in United Kingdom, Ireland or South Africa Deadline: 31 August 2011 Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe The Beit Trust seeks applications for a small number of Scholarships abroad for postgraduate studies or research to graduates from Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe (beneficial area). Scholarships are granted to study at a university in the United Kingdom, Ireland or South Africa... http://www.fundsforngos.org/scholarships-2/beit-trust-scholarships-postgraduate-studies-malawi-zambia-zimbabwe-study-united-kingdom-ireland-south-africa/

By Kemi Bello from PHM Nigeria The WHO watch experience is definitely one I can never forget. I had a practical insight into the dealings and proceedings of the WHO. I learnt more things about the WHO in the few days I spent in Geneva, than I had learnt in the 6 years I spent in Medical School! It kind of struck me how much member states had the power to bring about positive changes to health that they never use. It also availed me the opportunity to meet with my Country (and some other African Countries) delegation who were much more open to discussion than they would ordinarily have been back home. How can I also forget the wonderful dinner with Dr. Halfdan Mahler, an ex- WHO DG who shared with us stories and experiences money can’t buy? In all, it was a very nice experience though I left Geneva with many more questions than I went with; from why should an individual address the assembly and have more time than that allocated to each MS to why the WHO has allowed itself to be b...

By Claudio Schuftan I share a concern with many so I have made it the topic of this column. (1) But in this day and age of information overload these things get forgotten, they get conveniently swept under the carpet. I am intrigued to know whether you have come to a similar conclusion as that of this column, as regards the state of international nutrition and specifically the relative balance of attention given to solving the problems of micronutrient deficiencies and those of protein-energy malnutrition. I invite you to read on. MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES AND PROTEIN-ENERGY MALNUTRITION ARE WE KEEPING THE UNACCEPTABLE CAUSES OF BOTH MICRO- AND MACRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES IN THE PROPER PERSPECTIVE? In my early days of work in nutrition, during the late 1970s and early 80s, most attention in impoverished countries focused on protein-energy malnutrition. Its culmination was the era of multisectoral nutrition planning in the 1970s, when we took this form of malnutrition seriousl...

Seeking Endorsements: Comments on ‘Draft Technical Paper’ prepared for the World Conference on Social Determinants of Health The World Health Organization (WHO) is convening the World Conference on Social Determinants of Health (WCSDH) from 19-21 October 2011 in Rio de Janeiro with the support of the Government of Brazil. The Conference will be organized in accordance with the Resolution 62.14 of the 62nd World Health Assembly and as a follow-up for the work of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (CSDH). The WHO has published a ‘Draft Technical Paper’ on the WCSDH and initiated a consultation around it through inviting online submissions. The People’s Health Movement (PHM), in association with several public interest groups and networks, has been coordinating a collective civil society response to the Draft Technical Paper which we strongly believe is a step back from the report of the CSDH ‘Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health equity through action on soci...

Dear PHM Friends Please find below an interesting link that was shared which describes the role of Health Surveillance assistants in Malawi. It is worth reading and learning from this experience. In some parts of Africa, the role of health surveillance assistants is similar to that of Community Health Workers. See link below: http://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/MLW_01-04.pdf