The Course will be conducted in English. The course focuses on Leishmaniasis, with modules including epidemiology, diagnosis, immunology, biosafety, drug and vaccine development. A practical session will be organized, during which participants will perform techniques related to immune response to Leishmania infection.

Dr. Fabienne Tacchini-Cottier, Head WHO-IRTC,
Department of Biochemistry, chemin des Boveresses 155,
CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
Email: Fabienne.Tacchini-Cottier@unil.ch
Internet: http://apps.who.int/tdr/svc/grants/calls/who-irtc-unil

The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) invites researchers, living and working in the developing countries, to apply for one of ten 12-month career development fellowships on Clinical Research & Development at selected pharmaceutical companies and related institutions globally. The goal is to develop human resources to promote high quality R&D in the disease endemic countries (DEC) in the areas of project management, regulatory compliance and good practices. It is expected that qualified professional will be able to enhance DEC product development capacity on diagnostics, drugs and vaccines against infectious diseases that disproportionately impact low income countries. The programme will train individuals in situ with relevant partners in order to develop specialized skills not readily taught in academic centres, including inter alia R&D project management, regulatory compliance and good practices. Upon completing their fellowships, the individuals are expected to return to their home institutes and assume a leading role and become valuable resources in the global effort on R&D for neglected infectious diseases.

The proposed training programme extends TDR's work in empowering DEC scientists to lead, manage and direct vaccine trials against AIDS/HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and other neglected tropical diseases and is based on a successful model developed between GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK) and TDR over the past eight years.

Steven Wayling
Research Networks Manager
Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases
World Health Organization
1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0)22 791 39 09
Fax: +41 (0)22 791 48 54
E-mail: waylings@who.int
Internet: http://www.who.int/tdr/svc/grants/calls/clinical-research-fellowships

Objective: To strengthen evidence and knowledge with respect to health workforce development and to promote the use of innovative methodological approaches, data or tools, to measure and monitor health workforce capacity to respond to public health needs.

We invite researchers to submit an abstract related to the following themes, which may be from a country-specific, regional, or global perspective:.

• The use of new and existing data sources and tools to measure and monitor the health workforce’s capacity
• Parameters of staffing allocation for health services
• The use of innovative measures and predictive models to analyze health workforce supply-demand dynamics, as well as wage levels, especially for low-skilled workers
• The effect of health workforce geographical distribution, mobility, rural-urban migration, and demographics on access, quality, organization and outputs/outcomes of health service delivery
• Health workforce demand and training needs under various health service delivery models
• Health productivity and skill mix, and the tools used to measure and monitor them
• The structure, scope, and role of the private sector in the supply of human resources for health

Email: conferenciarhs@ims.uerj
Internet: http://www.who.int/hrh/events/2010/conference_research/en/index.html or Click here

Emergencies, disasters and other crises are increasing in number and magnitude, and are affecting multitude of vulnerable and unprotected people. Public health systems and social safety nets in many countries become further weakened and are easily overwhelmed. The added value of humanitarian work is also challenged, and reforms to improve quality, accountability and predictability of response are changing the ways humanitarian organizations work.

The purpose of this Course is to prepare professionals with knowledge and experience in different public health and related fields to work effectively, efficiently and safely in the design, implementation, management and/or coordination of emergency response and early recovery.

Related links:
- Purpose and learning outcomes
- Contents and methods
- Faculty and partners

World Health Organization
20 avenue Appia
1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Email: hactraining@who.int
Internet: http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/training/predeployment/phpd/en/index.html

The health systems of countries in crisis are often weak and unable to address the increased health needs of the population. Moreover, health workers in these countries often have limited capacity to analyse the major features and weaknesses of the health system.

This lack of capacity hampers the formulation of appropriate sector strategies and plans. As a result, emergency appeals and response interventions are often prepared based on inadequate evidence. This poses major challenges to both Governments and the international community.

This course aims to address these constraints as part of a broader learning programme to improve the analytical and planning capacity of Ministries of Health and agencies in countries in chronic crisis. The overall objective of the programme is to strengthen health professionals' ability to analyse health systems in countries in crisis; develop adequate response and recovery strategies; and plan and implement effective interventions. The course organizers will mentor selected participants following their return to their countries.

Related links:
- Training content
- Methodology
- Country Case Studies
- Faculty

Email: hactraining@who.int
Internet: Click here

Montreux, Switzerland

No other $ 5 trillion economic sector would be happy with so little investment in research related to its core agenda: the reduction of health inequalities; the organization of people-centred care; and the development of better, more effective public policies. – The world health report 2008 Mark your calendar now – the World Health Organization and partners will convene
the inaugural global symposium on health systems research on 16-19 November
2010. Researchers, policy-makers, funders, and other stakeholders representing
diverse constituencies will gather in Montreux, Switzerland to share evidence, identify
significant knowledge gaps, and set a research agenda that reflects the needs of lowand
middle-income countries.

Achieving and sustaining universal health coverage requires attention to a broad range of issues that are central to health systems performance. This includes drawing on the six interdependent health system building blocks – finance, workforce, services, technologies, information, and governance – and understanding how policies and programmes from within and beyond the health sector can be developed and implemented effectively, efficiently, and equitably.

Although universal health coverage is highly country and context specific, rigorous scientific research has the potential to generate evidence to inform better policy and practice within and across countries. For example, robust methodologies could be instrumental in identifying how the services for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, immunization and maternal and child health can be scaled up to reach the poor and disadvantaged more quickly and sustainably in low-income countries. Similarly, prospective monitoring and evaluation of universal health coverage policies in middle-income countries can help to better target the vulnerable populations and make important mid-course corrections.

World Health Organization
20 avenue Appia
1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Email: healthsystemresearch@who.int
Internet: http://www.hsr-symposium.org/ or Click here for PDF

Every two years, WHO co-sponsors the World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion. Considered the major scientific platform for furthering knowledge on violence and injuries, the World Conference draws around 1,200 of the world’s leading researchers, practitioners and advocates from more than 130 countries.

The event is hosted and organized by Liverpool John Moores University, a WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence Prevention. The overall theme is "Safe and Equitable Communities". Topics include among others prevention of violence; prevention of unintentional injuries; occupational safety; and trauma care and disaster management.

While primarily a scientific gathering, the World Conference increasingly draws policy-makers. Two important pre-meetings to the 10th World Conference will convene policy-makers from the health sector:
* the European Public Health Ministerial Conference on Injury and Violence Prevention; and
* the Third Global Meeting of Ministry of Health Focal Points for Violence and Injury Prevention.
These two events contribute to bridging the science of what works to prevent violence and injuries with the policies that lead to action in countries.
Conference programme

Tel: +44 (0) 1772 336 639
Email: info@safety2010.org.uk or safety2010@ljmu.ac.uk
Internet: http://www.safety2010.org.uk/ or Click here

The final report of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH), released in 2008, emphasized the importance of social determinants of health in reducing health inequities. The report also highlighted the critical importance of building a global movement to act on social determinants to reduce health gaps between and within countries in the course of a generation.
In considering and endorsing the conclusions of the Commission's report, the World Health Assembly in May 2009 requested WHO 'to convene a global event to discuss renewed plans for addressing the alarming trends of health inequities through addressing social determinants of health'. In response, WHO is convening the World Conference on Social Determinants of Health (WCSDH).

Conference Objectives: The aim of the World Conference on Social Determinants of Health is to bring Member States and other actors together to catalyze high level political support for national policies to address social determinants of health to reduce health inequities. Its specific objectives are to:
* strengthen political commitment by Member States to develop and implement national policies on social determinants of health to reduce health inequities;
* share experiences, challenges and technical knowledge on addressing social determinants of health, taking into account the need for strengthening governance arrangements and learning from different contexts.

Conference themes: The main themes that will be tackled during the conference are:
* Governance to tackle the root causes of health inequities: implementing intersectoral action and Health in All Policies.
* Health systems as a social determinant: the role of the health sector, including services and public health programmes, in improving health inequities.
* Monitoring progress: measurement and analysis of health inequities and policies to address social determinants.
* Promoting participation: community leadership for action on social determinants.
* Action on social determinants to achieve global priorities and the role of global partners.

Internet: http://www.who.int/social_determinants/events/world_conference_2011/en/index.html

The Global Health Workforce Alliance, the Prince Mahidol Award (PMA) Conference and the World Health Organization are delighted to announce that they will jointly convene the second Global Forum on Human Resources for Health in Bangkok, Thailand in the first quarter of 2011.

Since the endorsement of the Kampala Declaration and Agenda for Global Action at the first-ever Global Forum on Human Resources for Health held in Kampala, Uganda in March 2008, significant commitments and unprecedented levels of action relating to strengthening the health workforce have been made. As a result of these global and national efforts, several countries have made significant progress in improving their citizens' access to quality health care supported by appropriate levels of trained health workers. Nevertheless, the global health workforce crisis continues with millions of health workers needed to bridge the chronic gaps.

The second Global Forum on Human Resources for Health will review and assess progress made on the Kampala Declaration and Agenda for Global Actions; celebrate successes and identify gaps and new challenges for the health workforce crisis.

We hope that the Forum will provide an extraordinary platform for consensus and capacity building, sharing and exploring solutions, and will further galvanize the global movement that is emerging as a response to the increasingly pertinent human resources for health crisis.

Global Health Workforce Alliance
2008 Forum
World Health Organization
20 avenue Appia
1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland

Tel: +41 (0)22 791 1057 or +41 (0)22 791 4957
Fax +41 (0)22 791 4747
Email: ghwaforum@who.int
Internet: http://www.who.int/workforcealliance/forum/en/

A successful health care system depends heavily on an adequately sized and well-trained
workforce. The delivery of health services requires sufficient financial resources, up-to-date
technology, and, above all, a productive health workforce. However, in many countries today, the
performance of health workers is weakened by a large number of shortcomings and bottlenecks,
including inadequate training, lack of continuing education, supply and demand imbalances,
geographic maldistribution, insufficient work coordination, overlapping work domains, adverse
working conditions, absence of professional incentives, etc. All these negative factors, if not
corrected by a strong process of management and planning, decrease the efficiency of the health
care system and reduce the productivity of health workers, fueling their emigration to other
countries or directing them to careers outside the health sector.

The participants are invited to contribute papers on the various issues concerning the health
workforce; in particular efforts designed to measure and improve performance. The themes
suggested are briefly presented hereafter:

• Measurement of workforce performance
• Observation of the mutual relationship of health workforce performance and health
  system performance.
• Action for improving workforce performance

Dr Bui Dang Ha Doan, Centre de Sociologie et de Démographie Médicales
168 A, rue de Grenelle
75007 Paris (France)
Tel: +33 (0)1 45 55 73 77
Fax: +33 (0)1 45 55 87 94
Email: csdm.fic@wanadoo.fr
Internet: http://www.who.int/hrh/events/symposium_workforce.pdf

Health and development today face unprecedented threats. The financial crisis threatens the viability of national economies in general and of health systems in particular. Global warming and climate change exert a toll in human life, especially in lower income countries. Security threats create a sense of shared uncertainty for communities around the world.

In this context, health promotion has never been more timely or more needed. Over the period from the Ottawa Conference through the six global conferences to Bangkok, a large body of evidence and experience has accumulated about the importance of health promotion as an integrative, cost-effective strategy, and as an essential component of health systems primed to respond adequately to emerging concerns. Read the conference overview

Thematic tracks at the conference:
1. Community empowerment
2. Health literacy and health behaviour
3. Strengthening health systems
4. Partnerships and intersectoral action
5. Building capacity for health promotion
6. Africa Day

Internet: http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/conferences/7gchp/en/

The WHO/Geneva, the WHO Regional Office for Africa, the Ghana National Drugs Programme of the Ministry of Health Ghana, the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Faculty of Pharmacy, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology will jointly organize a 10-day training course on the use of pharmacoeconomics in medicines selection.

The course aims to build capacities of managers in health insurance programs, procurement agencies and relevant staff in public and private health facilities to make evidenced based decisions on selection of medicines for their essential medicines lists which are used for procurement, re-imbursements under health insurance programs and promote cost effective use of medicines.

Preference will be given to participants from the African region, as well as emphasizing preference for people working in the public sector.

Email: appidanq@yahoo.com or gndp@ghndp.org
Internet: http://www.who.int/selection_medicines/pharmacoeconomics/en/index.html
or Click here for PDF

Objectives: By the end of the programme participants will:
1. have a general understanding of the most common problems in the pharmaceutical sector in developing and transitional countries; and wil have shared experiences in addressing these challenges;
2. have a general understanding of how WHO and the UNICEF Supply Division support developing and transitional countries in strengthening the pharmaceutical sector;
3. appreciate the importance of National Drug Policies as the best approach to make essential medicines of good quality available to all who need them, and ensure the rational use of medicines;
4. be aware of ways to strengthen collaboration with WHO and other organizations supporting the pharmaceutical sector in developing and transitional countries;
5. understand the impact of international agreements on pharmaceuticals;
6. be aware of current issues such as pharmacovigilance, pricing issues, traditional medicines and counterfeit medicines.

Mrs Anita Korinsek
Email: korinsekportaa@who.int
Internet: http://www.who.int/medicines/technical_briefing/tbs/en/index.html

The development and maintenance of a competent workforce is a key component of the World Heath Organization's effort to strengthen health systems based on primary health care.

The organization has therefore put together a resource package to help education and training institutions produce more competent primary health care professionals who are willing to work in remote and rural areas. The resource package will also ensure continuous professional development of existing health practitioners.

What is the WHO/PHC Education and Training Resource Package? WHO/Primary Health Care Education and Training Resource Package is a collection of comprehensive and up-to-date instruction and learning materials published by WHO, in CD-ROM and print format. Materials that follow the Primary Health Care approach, with its focus on universal coverage and person-centred service delivery, have been prioritized.

What are the benefits? The resource package provides individual health professionals and health care teams with:
* easy access to current health information
* state of the art resource materials on priority health issues
* collaborative practice
* opportunities to build professional competencies
* tools to address the changing health needs of the population.

Internet: http://www.who.int/hrh/resources/redbox/en/index.html