Post00379 FELLOWSHIP + PRINCESS + RFA + HepB RESOURCES 2 October 2001 CONTENTS 1. PUBLIC HEALTH FELLOWSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT 2. SCF/UK PRINCESS ANNE BERATES DRUG FIRMS OVER PRICES 3. CONSULTATION ON INNOVATIONS IN REFRIGERATION 4. TRAINING RESOURCES: HEPATITIS B VACCINE Visit the TechNet 21 Delhi meeting webpages at: http://www.who.int/vaccines-access/index.html Get the latest Technet21 documents at: http://www.who.int/vaccines- access/Vaccines/Vaccine_Cold_Chain/Technet/2001_Delhi_Technet.htm ____________________________________*______________________________________ 1. PUBLIC HEALTH FELLOWSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT James Cheyne, PATH/CVP, kindly posts this Gates/CVP fellowship announcement on Technet Forum. 'The Gates Children's Vaccine Program (Gates CVP) Fellowship encourages a small number of applicants for practical projects in developing immunization services in one or more of the countries listed below.' * Completed applications must be received by Friday, October 26, 2001. Details are in the text below. ___________________________________________________________________________ From: "Cheyne, James" To: Technet Moderator Subject: Public Health Fellowship announcement for website Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2001 Allan, This is my first contribution to the Technet Forum. I have attached a two page Word file that invites application to a Gates CVP Fellowship Programme. This is a new venture that aims to attract young professionals from developing countries to study for up to a year on almost any immunization-related subject of their choice. We are not advertising this very widely because we are nervous about receiving a huge number of applicants which we would not be able to review adequately. We are trying to focus our publicity to reach our target as precisely as possible. Technet Forum can do this for us, I think. Can it be posted on the Forum, please? James ___________________________________________________________________________ Children's Vaccine Program at PATH Public Health Fellowship Program Purpose: These competitively awarded fellowships serve to encourage the development of practical solutions to problems of immunization services in Vaccine Fund-eligible countries through a 12-month course of research. Program Description: The Gates Children's Vaccine Program (Gates CVP) Fellowship encourages a small number of applicants for practical projects in developing immunization services in one or more of the countries listed below. Fellowships are awarded through the educational institution of the candidates who are committed to service in both the public- and private sector, specifically, but not exclusively, in the fields of: communication and advocacy for immunization, development and promotion of immunization technologies, field vaccinology research, public health policy and management, new immunization financing solutions, strengthening country- level immunization programs, training for immunization, urban and regional immunization planning, vaccine logistics and cold chain, vaccine-preventable disease epidemiology, and vaccine-preventable disease surveillance. Selection for an award is in no way a suggestion or promise of future employment or internship with Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) or any PATH project. Eligibility: Applicants must have an undergraduate degree, an academic record indicative of past and future success in learning and research, five years of substantial professional experience, demonstrated leadership qualities, and a suitable level of English proficiency. Proposals will be evaluated on significance and relevance to immunization in general, and practicality of completion in 12 months. Additionally, eligible candidates must demonstrate the support of their employer should they desire to return to their current position following completion of the Fellowship, and must be residents of a Vaccine Fund-eligible country (see list below). Gates CVP Fellowship Project: The Fellowship will be awarded through an educational institution, and will support up to 12 months of coursework and/or professional enrichment activities tailored to each Fellow's area of interest. Additionally, Fellows will receive a stipend for the country where the work is being done. Fellows are assigned to a carefully selected host institution with a Gates CVP mentor who provides academic and administrative support to each Fellow on individualized project design and implementation. Throughout the year, Fellows are encouraged to engage in a variety of professional activities including site visits and workshops. Applications are screened by a Gates CVP committee consisting of distinguished specialists in various fields and areas of study. Recommended candidates' applications are then submitted to an academic institution in the host country for review. A Gates CVP Fellowship Board makes the final selection of the Fellows based on the candidate's academic and professional record, feasibility of the proposed project, and personal qualifications, including language preparation. Application Procedure: Completed applications must be received by Friday, October 26, 2001, and should include: * written proposal, not exceeding five pages in length, * personal statement, * current curriculum vitae, * four letters of reference (two professional and two personal), and * identification of institution of choice/preference. Questions and application materials should be directed to: Gates Children's Vaccine Program PATH 4 Nickerson Street, Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98109 USA Tel: 206-285-3500 Fax: 206-285-6619 Email: [[email protected]][email protected][/email] ___________________________________________________________________________ VACCINE FUND-ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti Eritrea, Ethiopia The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya Korea DPR, Kyrgyzstan Lao PDR, Lesotho, Liberia Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Moldova, Republic of Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria Pakistan, Papua New Guinea Rwanda Sao Tome, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan Tajikistan, United Republic of Tanzania, Togo, Turkmenistan Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen Zambia, Zimbabwe ____________________________________*______________________________________ 2. SCF/UK PRINCESS ANNE BERATES DRUG FIRMS OVER PRICES "The princess added that too few pharmacists were working in countries where they were most needed, such as in parts of Africa. She said immunisation campaigns had waned since the political commitment to them peaked in the 1980s, and resources had declined dramatically. 'She said "a shift in focus to individual diseases, such as polio, had caused a collapse of regular vaccination programmes.' WHO studies have shown that one needs to take deliberate action for polio eradication to have a positive effect on the routine system; it is not automatic and in fact can just as easily have harmful effects. ____________________________________________________________________________ Global eradication of poliomyelitis should strengthen national immunization programmes (1988 WHA Resolution 41.28). We have learned: - Positive impacts of PE do not occur automatically, rather they have to be deliberately pursued; and - Most negative impacts of PE can be avoided through better planning. ___________________________________________________________________________ * Technet Forum readers will recall Technet Forum Post00280, Monitoring The Impact Of Polio Eradication, 26 September 2000 where the draft checklist was posted. * Robert Steinglass, BASICS, kindly post the final version of the checklist along with a cover letter from Bjorn Melgaard, along with "the meatier and more detailed version of the matrix upon which the checklist was based" * Do you agree with SCF UK and their patron, Princess Anne? Get the files: On the web at: ftp://ftp.acithn.uq.edu.au/Technet/1-ClickHereForTECHNETfiles/ double click on the filenames to start the : POLIOmatrixfinalat100%eng.pdf poliomatrixfinalat100%french.pdf polioChecklistbjorncoverletter.pdf poliomatrixonepi21.pdf or send an email to [[email protected]][email protected][/email] with the message: get technet POLIOmatrixfinalat100%eng.pdf get technet poliomatrixfinalat100%french.pdf get technet polioChecklistbjorncoverletter.pdf get technet poliomatrixonepi21.pdf __________________________________________________________________________ Reprinted under the fair use doctrine of international copyright law: http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html ___________________________________________________________________________ http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/uk.cfm?id=110909&keyword=the Princess Royal berates drug firms over prices Alastair Dalton Science Correspondent DRUG companies were attacked yesterday by the Princess Royal for their "simplistic philanthropy" which was failing to tackle disease in developing countries. In a hard-hitting speech to the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Glasgow, Princess Anne said firms should focus on effective long-term measures such as cutting drug prices rather than short-term publicity stunts. The princess, who is an honorary fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, which organised the conference, also warned that basic disease prevention measures, such as immunisation programmes, were in decline in many countries. She said donations of medicines often failed to cover their distribution costs, which sapped other scarce health spending. The princess, who is also the president of the Save the Children Fund, said cheap medicines were urgently required to treat conditions such as HIV and AIDS, and urged the drug industry to re-examine its pricing policies. Princess Anne?s comments echoed concerns expressed at the conference by Barbara Stocking, the director of Oxfam GB, who said drug patents were preventing the production of cheap, generic medicines that poorer countries could afford. The princess said: "The key to public recognition of the pharmaceutical companies? commitment to human health may lie in their realisation that a systematic approach to pricing based on equity can work for everyone. Fair pricing based on the ability to pay would be an important step forward." The princess said such a move should be seen by drug firms as creating new markets rather than compromising short-term profits. However, she warned: "If quick results are what companies want, then they run the risk of being accused of simplistic philanthropy rather than rising to the greater challenge of social responsibility. "Drug donations may raise a company?s public profile and share price, but the transport, distribution, training and administration costs are usually not covered by the donor." The princess said this could place a heavy extra burden on health systems and take money away from other important health programmes. Princess Anne said more than 150 children were born every day in South Africa with HIV, but even the cheapest remedies to ease their suffering, such as from breathing and fungal infections, were beyond reach. She said that to them, the so-called anti-AIDS "wonder drugs" being used to prolong the lives of sufferers in richer countries were a "cruel mirage". The princess also called for more resources and research effort to be switched into neglected areas of health. She said: "There is a very long list of neglected diseases peculiar to the poor world that are ignored by the research community, which must move up the political agenda. Malaria still kills more children than HIV and AIDS." The princess added that too few pharmacists were working in countries where they were most needed, such as in parts of Africa. She said immunisation campaigns had waned since the political commitment to them peaked in the 1980s, and resources had declined dramatically. She said a shift in focus to individual diseases, such as polio, had caused a collapse of regular vaccination programmes. ___________________________________________________________________________ Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2001 07:45:59 -0400 From: "Robert Steinglass" To: [[email protected]][email protected][/email] Subject: Re: Post00332 POLIO JOB + PEI Allan, I can't recall if you already posted the attached or not. It is a WHO checklist (in Acrobat Reader) in English and French, along with the cover letter sent a couple of weeks ago to all WHO and UNICEF representatives and immunization field staff by Bjorn Melgaard, with some practical ways managers can use polio eradication to strengthen the routine system. WHO studies have shown that one needs to take deliberate action for polio eradication to have a positive effect on the routine system; it is not automatic and in fact can just as easily have harmful effects. If you have already sent three attached checklists out, fine. If not, then readers might like to also have Dr. Melgaard's cover letter and also the meatier and more detailed version of the matrix upon which the checklist was based. That matrix is attached. It was a presentation given at the Technical Consultative Meeting on Polio in Geneva last year. Robert ____________________________________*______________________________________ 3. PREVENTING VACCINE FREEZING: REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE Ian Wyllie, SOTON, asks for the help of Technet Forum readers: " The recently formed Design Study on Medical Products in Relief and Development Settings exists to investigate the engineering challenges facing the delivery of medical products refrigeration in less developed countries. The current focus of the study is the need for and delivery of refrigeration services at the peripheries (clinic / health centre level) of the cold chain both in emergency, and longer term responses." " REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE Members of Technet can assist us in developing effective solutions in two ways: 1. Firstly by contacting us, either directly at: [[email protected]][email protected][/email] or by posting to this forum, with details, anecdotal or otherwise of areas and specific situations where currently available refrigeration solutions are proving ineffective, or are, because of the logistical demands they impose effectively unsustainable. 2. Secondly by studying the condensed "felt needs" below which have emerged from our research to date, and considering if you feel that a system meeting those would be a valuable addition to the maintenance of an effective cold chain. Contributions may be made either by direct contact to [email protected] or by posting to this forum. We value all comments that you may have, short or long. * Replies to: [[email protected]][email protected][/email], [[email protected]][email protected][/email] ___________________________________________________________________________ Visit Ian's project website at http://www.soton.ac.uk/~ihw198 ___________________________________________________________________________ From: "Ian Wyllie" To: Subject: Consultation on innovations in refrigeration - University of Southampton Date: Sat, 22 Sep 2001 Dear Allan, Please find below a release for circulation to members of TECHNET. I have been interested to read of the recent developments at the TECHNETSIGN conference at Delhi and the renewed interest in preventing vaccine freezing, and innovation within the cold chain, and felt that it would be profitable to seek the opinions of members of TECHNET on our current work at the University of Southampton. Issued on 22-September-01 by: Design Study on Medical Products in Relief and Development Settings, on line at: http://www.soton.ac.uk/~ihw198 Notes for consultation by members of TECHNET INTRODUCTION The recently formed Design Study on Medical Products in Relief and Development Settings exists to investigate the engineering challenges facing the delivery of medical products refrigeration in less developed countries. The current focus of the study is the need for and delivery of refrigeration services at the peripheries (clinic / health centre level) of the cold chain both in emergency, and longer term responses. Following an assessment visit to Sudan OLS(N) where we examined the refrigeration equipment in use by a number of I&NNGO?s engaged in the delivery of primary health care we suggest that , at least on the periphery of the cold chain there is a need for refrigeration systems which display improved versatility, mobility, reliability and independence. We hope develop improved systems to address these needs. REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE Members of Technet can assist us in developing effective solutions in two ways: 1. Firstly by contacting us, either directly at: [[email protected]][email protected][/email] or by posting to this forum, with details, anecdotal or otherwise of areas and specific situations where currently available refrigeration solutions are proving ineffective, or are, because of the logistical demands they impose effectively unsustainable. 2. Secondly by studying the condensed "felt needs" below which have emerged from our research to date, and considering if you feel that a system meeting those would be a valuable addition to the maintenance of an effective cold chain. Contributions may be made either by direct contact to [email protected] or by posting to this forum. We value all comments that you may have, short or long. PROPOSAL FOR CONSULTATION We argue that an effective refrigeration system for use at health centre and clinic level must be: Versatile in its application; in that it is capable of being used both as a transport container for vaccines, as a medium term storage facility within the clinic and where circumstances and conditions demand as a resource for planned outreach activities Air-transportable and highly mobile; the system should while continuing to provide a controlled environment be capable of transport by both light and international civil aircraft, and sufficiently robust to allow regular and prolonged transport by all terrain vehicles. Multi Powered; the system should be able to accept a wide variety of power sources including, but not limited to, vehicle supplies and town power of varying quality. Independent; the system should, of itself, be capable of operation without requiring delivery of fuel or other consumable items. Further, the system should be, so far as practical be, capable of local repair. Refrigeration capacity; Should provide the capability to maintain ten to twenty-four litres of refrigeration capacity for medical products including vaccines, or drugs or some combination of the two and should under normal operating conditions maintain the product at a temperature between two and five degrees. Suitable for use in Emergency situations; in that it should be easily established by healthcare workers with minimal prior training, should be robust enough to survive in the early stages of an emergency response. Further the system should not require any permanent constructions at its site of operation. We would invite you, if this posting has interested you to visit our small (but growing) website at http://www.soton.ac.uk/~ihw198 where there is among other things background on the project and expanded information on these felt needs. Issued By: Ian Wyllie Design Study on Medical Products Refrigeration in Relief and Development Settings University of Southampton, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science Highfield, Southampton, UNITED KINGDOM [email protected] ____________________________________*______________________________________ 4. TRAINING RESOURCES: HEPATITIS B VACCINE ___________________________________________________________________________ From: To: Subject: Training Resources: Hepatitis B Vaccine Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2001 16:02:09 -0700 Organization: Bill and Melinda Gates Children's Vaccine Program Countries receiving assistance from The Vaccine Fund are making special efforts to strengthen their immunization programs and prepare for introduction of new vaccines and auto-disable syringes to increase immunization safety. The Gates Children's Vaccine Program at PATH is pleased to offer links to the resources below, created by a variety of organizations. We hope that you will find them useful for developing your own training and health education materials. Many of the resources are Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) documents. You can download a free version of Acrobat Reader software from http://www.adobe.com. This first training resource list focuses on issues related to introduction of hepatitis B vaccine. Future lists will offer resources on other relevant topics, along with new hepatitis B resources as they become available. HEPATITIS B TRAINING RESOURCES Hepatitis B pages from Gates Children's Vaccine Program Website Basic and in-depth information, plus a long list of resources. http://www.ChildrensVaccine.orghtmlv_hepb_qf.htm Aide-Memoire: Hepatitis B Immunization (2000) World Health Organization WHO policy and practices for hepatitis B immunization. http://www.childrensvaccine.org/files/Hep-B-Aide-Memoire-WHO.pdf (English) (145 Kb .pdf) http://www.childrensvaccine.org/files/Hep-B-Aide-Memoire-WHO-Francais.pdf (Franç¡©s) (165 Kb .pdf) Hepatitis B: The Virus and the Vaccine (2001) Gates Children's Vaccine Program at PATH A two page handout. http://www.childrensvaccine.org/files/Hep%20B_fact_sheet.pdf (140 Kb .pdf) Hepatitis B Vaccine Introduction - Lessons Learned in Advocacy, Communication, and Training (2001) Gates Children's Vaccine Program at PATH This five page paper summarizes lessons learned as a result of over ten years of experience introducing hepatitis B vaccine worldwide. http://www.childrensvaccine.org/files/CVP_Occ_Paper4.pdf (460 Kb .pdf) How to Give a Hepatitis B Immunization (1998) Module 8 of "Immunization in Practice", World Health Organization http://www.childrensvaccine.org/files/IPMod8.pdf (370 Kb .pdf) "The Pink Book" -- Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Hepatitis B section (1999) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention This standard U.S. reference. The full set of chapters can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pink/default.htm http://www.childrensvaccine.org/files/pinkbook_12__hepb.pdf (350 Kb .pdf) Introduction to DTP-Hepatitis B Vaccine (2001) Ministry of Health, Mozambique This translation of two booklets from Mozambique--one for health workers, the other for community leaders--may give you ideas for your own health education materials. http://www.childrensvaccine.org/files/Mozambique_DTP-HepB.pdf (30 Kb.pdf) The Hepatitis B Coalition Immunization Action Coalition The Immunization Action Coalition promotes physician, community, and family awareness of, and responsibility for, appropriate immunization of all children and adults against all vaccine-preventable diseases. This U.S. Hepatitis B Coalition site has a wealth of education materials, including English and Spanish vaccination information sheets and "All kids need Hepatitis B shots" in 16 languages. http://www.immunize.org Viral Hepatitis B US Centers for Disease Control A wealth of information on the disease and vaccine. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/b/index.htm __________________________________________________________________________ If you would like to be added to the Gates CVP email list, just ask! [email protected] If you would like to receive hard copy mailings from Gates CVP in future (once or twice per year), please provide your name, title, and postal address to: [[email protected]][email protected][/email] Thank you! Scott Wittet Director for Advocacy, Communication, and Training Gates Children's Vaccine Program at PATH http://www.ChildrensVaccine.org ____________________________________*______________________________________