The theme of the 2019 SAMA conference is “Leadership and Quality in Healthcare – Let’s close the Gap” and will cover the future direction of healthcare and various initiatives of the National Health Insurance (NHI). It also resonates with the discussions emanating from the private sector in South Africa. The conference will feature a parallel research track and undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as colleagues involved in research are invited to attend and participate.
Jobs and Announcements
South African Medical Association (SAMA) Conference
8-10 August 2019, Durban, South Africa
72nd session of the World Health Assembly
20-28 May 2019, Geneva
The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. Background reports, daily information can be found at the website shown.
Accelerating universal health coverage: a call for papers
Deadline for submissions: 15 June 2019
In 2020, the world will still have a decade to harness global momentum and advance progress towards UHC by 2030. A special issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization will focus on the theme of accelerating progress towards UHC to encourage learning and information sharing on this dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The issue will explore policy options and country experiences on how to expand population coverage, service coverage and financial protection. Manuscripts that capture knowledge and experience in addressing bottlenecks and root causes of stagnation that hamper successful UHC advancement are welcomed. Analysis of breakthroughs in health systems that have been conducive to rapid expansion of coverage are also encouraged. Papers should focus on, for example, implementation science in health systems, innovative health financing, strategic purchasing, UHC and primary health care, the role of the private sector, policy coherence across government levels (particularly in decentralized health systems), the role of innovative technology and the design and use of health information. Best practices in good governance for health, based on transparency and accountability, would also be useful to learn how vested interests that hamper progress towards UHC are countered in different socioeconomic and political contexts. Comparative cross-country analyses are encouraged.
International Studies Association International Conference 2019: Exploring the agency of the Global South in International Studies (Practices)
1-3 August 2019, Legion Center for International Affairs & Diplomacy, University of Ghana, Accra
Representing over 100 countries, the International Studies Association (ISA) has more than 6,500 members worldwide and is the most respected and widely known scholarly association in this field. Endeavouring to create communities of scholars dedicated to international studies, the ISA is divided into 7 geographic subdivisions of ISA (Regions), 29 thematic groups (Sections) and 4 Caucuses which provide opportunities to exchange ideas and research with local colleagues and within specific subject areas. This year’s conference explores the theme of the agency of the Global South in International Studies (Practices).
PhD position in social sciences or humanities or related fields
Deadline for applications: 12 June 2019
The position is being offered in the context of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche's (ANR) co-funded project, “Self-Accomplishment and Local Moralities in East Africa” (SALMEA). The selected candidate will serve as a full member of the project and will be fully integrated into the team's activities. Possible research topics are therefore varied and may cover a wide range of issues related to violence, kinship (including family formation and identity), religion, and wealth (including land ownership) in Eastern Africa. The PhD candidate will be attached to IMAF (Institut des Mondes Africains) in Aix en Provence. Based in Paris and Aix en Provence, the institute brings together scholars with an interest in Africa who are affiliated with the CNRS, IRD, EHESS, EPHE, the University of Paris 1, and Aix Marseille University. The successful candidate will be allowed to write his/her doctoral dissertation either in French or English. He/she will be enrolled at the Aix Marseille University Doctoral School. The candidate must have obtained, or be close to obtaining, an MA or an equivalent degree in a relevant field (demography, history, geography, anthropology, political science etc.). The candidate is expected to demonstrate sufficient skills in both French and English so as to adapt quickly to the working and research environment in Aix and in East Africa. Selection will involve a two-stage process, starting with the consideration of submitted application, and followed by interviews with selected candidates on July 1st 2019.
Postgraduate training support
The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, World Health Organisation
The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) postgraduate training scheme provides a full academic scholarship in collaboration with universities in LMICs to train MSc students. The training is specifically focused on subjects or disciplines relevant to implementation research. Items covered by the scholarship include full time tuition and board, cost of dissertation research / field work, return air travel from home country to institution and contribution towards the purchase of essential textbooks / learning materials. Candidates must apply to institutions in their respective regions (Africa, Asia, Latin America or Middle East) to be eligible for consideration. Prospective candidates are advised to contact the institution directly for details on eligibility and academic requirements for admission. They should also familiarise themselves with the field of implementation research / implementation science which is the focus of this scheme. The participating universities are: James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Bangladesh, Universidad de Antioquia, National School of Public Health, Colombia, University of Ghana, School of Public Health, Ghana, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, American University of Beirut, Faculty of Health Sciences, Lebanon, University of the Witwatersrand, School of Public Health, South Africa, and University of Zambia, Department of Public Health, Zambia.
South African Health Review (SAHR) 2019 Emerging Public Health Practitioner Award
Deadline for Applications: 31 July 2019
This call invites practitioners to submit a completed manuscript to the South African Health Review (SAHR) to apply for the 2019 Emerging Public Health Practitioner Award. The successful candidate will have their paper published in the 2019 edition of the SAHR. The winner will also receive a cash prize and access to wider networks of practising public health practitioners and researchers in the field. Preference will be given to papers that take cognisance of the World Health Organisation’s six building blocks for an effective, efficient and equitable health system. The SAHR aims to advance the sharing of knowledge, to feature critical commentary on policy implementation, and to offer empirical understandings for improving South Africa’s health system. To be eligible for the award, the applicant must be a South African citizen or permanent resident, with a valid South African ID number, currently registered for a Master’s degree in health sciences/medicine or public health at a South African tertiary institution. The applicant must be the sole author of the paper. Any other contributions may only be recognised as acknowledgements. Entries will be assessed by a panel of public health experts. The official prize-giving ceremony will take place at the launch of the 22nd edition of the SAHR.
The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) Global launches crowdfunding challenge to help researchers fund their own research future
Deadline for submissions: 30 June 2019
TDR Global is partnering with SESH to build capacity for crowdfunding among a group of low- and middle-income country researchers focused on infectious diseases. Crowdfunding for infectious diseases research is both a science and an art – one must have both a compelling research question and also a clear way to effectively communicate this with the public. The team will identify selected individuals and build their capacity to use crowdfunding related to infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries(LMICs). Submissions should be less than 1200 words of text in English that describe the: scientific question and hypothesis; significance of the project; relevance to the public; personal motivation for research and personal connection to the disease and geographic location; areas for mentorship. The project has three stages. The first is an open challenge contest to solicit infectious diseases research ideas in LMICs, followed by a capacity building workshop to help individuals gain skills and hone their message. Lastly there will be a crowdfunding pilot to seek a limited amount of money (10,000 USD – 50,000 USD) for local research projects.
East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community Best Practices Forum Conference: ‘Theme: Innovation and Accountability in Health Towards achieving Universal Health Coverage’
19-21 June 2019, Arusha, Tanzania, Deadline for submission of abstracts: 3rd May 2019
The East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) is an inter- governmental organisation, which was established to foster regional cooperation to address priority health problems, in order to attain the highest possible standards of health for the people of the region. In pursuit of its mandate, ECSA-HC facilitates the convening of regional meetings namely; the Best Practices Forum (BPF) and the Directors Joint Consultative Committee (DJCC). The aim of the BPF and DJCC meetings is to share best practices and research evidence, identify relevant health policy issues and making recommendations to the Health Ministers Conference, towards the improvement of health programming and outcomes in the region. The upcoming conference will provide a forum for health scientists, policy makers, development partners and other stakeholders in health, food and water and sanitation for health to present their best practices and research evidence that inform policies and programming in the ECSA region. The Conference will be organised in two parts as follows; The Regional Forum on Best Practices from 19 to 20 June 2019 and the Directors Joint Consultative Committee from 21 June 2019. The theme for the 12th BPF is Innovation and Accountability in Health Towards achieving Universal Health Coverage. The theme will be addressed through the following sub-themes: Efforts to improve adolescent and young people’s health; Opportunities for achieving water and sanitation health global target; Equity and access to eye healthcare in the ECSA region; Innovative approaches towards achieving food safety and improving quality of life; Prioritising substance use and mental health challenges in the ECSA Region; Tackling emerging and re-emerging health threats: A regional One Health approach to managing recurrent outbreaks in the region. ECSA-HC invites submission of abstracts for best practices and scientific papers that are relevant to the conference theme or sub themes.
Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA) Conference 2019
16-18 September 2019, College of Cape Town, Athlone, Cape Town, South Africa
The 2019 Public Health Association of South Africa conference reflects on the intersections between democracy and health, and the progressive realisation of health care in South Africa. This year’s conference will focus on the status of health care since independence in South Africa and what can be done to move the country closer to achieving the targets of the National Development Plan, achieving equity within universal health coverage and the global Sustainable Developmental Goals by 2030. Through this Conference and its other activities, the Association is working to increase recognition of the importance of maintaining and improving the health of populations by 2030 that is based on the principles of social justice, human rights, equity, evidence-informed policy and practice, and addressing the underlying determinants of health.