News and notes
This department furnishes information concerning institutions, organizations, and individuals engaged in work on leprosy and other mycobacterial diseases, and makes note of scientific meetings and other matters of interest.
Ethiopia. ALERT Provisional Training Calendar for 2003, ALERT Training Division, P.O. Box 165, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
January 13-February 7 (4 weeks)
Prevention and management of disabilities
Target group: physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists as well as experienced leprosy workers involved in POD. Emphasis on both patient care (early detection of nerve function deterioration, health promotion, problem solving) and program management (POD management, home-based care and rehabilitation). Those participants particularly interested in community based rehabilitation can sign on for the following CBR course.
February 10-February 21 (2 weeks)
Community based rehabilitation (CBR)
Target group: physiotherapists, occupational therapists and project managers. Emphasis will be on setting up a CBR program in a given situation focussing on individuals with disabilities, their families and their communities. Participants will be exposed to a realistic approach and to practical learning experiences by visiting existing CBR projects in and around Addis Ababa. The course can be taken on its own or in addition to the preceding PMD course.
February 24-March 14 (3 weeks)
Clinical leprosy and tropical dermatology for physicians
Highly recommended for the participants in the following "Management of combined programs" course who need to refresh their knowledge of clinical leprosy and tropical dermatology. The course can also be taken on its own by physicians responsible for diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with leprosy in either a hospital or a control program setting.
March 17- April 4 (3 weeks)
Management of combined leprosy and tuberculosis control programmes for physicians
Target group: experienced physicians responsible for managing a leprosy and TB control program at the regional level or above. Emphasis on program management: needs analysis, action plan, implementation of activities, supervision, evaluation, management of POD. Participants without leprosy experience should also take the preceding "Clinical leprosy" course.
April 21-May 9 (3 weeks)
Essentials of leprosy and tuberculosis for administrative and programme support staff
Target group: administrative and managerial staff without a medical background, working in leprosy and TB programs and donor agencies. Objectives: to gain a better understanding of the two diseases, to communicate more effectively with the medical staff and to contribute more efficiently in decision making and priority setting.
September 8-September 26 (3 weeks)
Essentials of leprosy and tuberculosis for physicians and scientists
This course is for participants new to the field of leprosy and tuberculosis or who need to refresh their knowledge. It aims at physicians responsible for diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with leprosy and tuberculosis in either a hospital or a control program setting and at scientists who require in-depth knowledge of clinical practice in leprosy and tuberculosis as a basis for their research activities.
October 6-November 14 (6 weeks)
Clinical leprosy and management of combined leprosy and tuberculosis control programmes for senior field staff
Target group: experienced nurses, paramedical workers or supervisors responsible for leprosy and TB control at the district (or equivalent) level. Emphasis on planning, implementation, supervision and evaluation of control activities, with special attention to POD, health promotion and support functions.
April 7-April 11 (1 week)
Computer-based operational research methods in epidemiology
This course is organized jointly with the Dept. of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umea University, Sweden. Target group: TBL control program managers, scientists and other health workers who deal with epidemiological research work and statistics. Basic computer knowledge is a prerequisite. Participants will be introduced to programs such as Epi-info and Acrobat as a means to analyze data.
In-service training
ALERT can offer in service training to physiotherapy, surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, etc. Students will have the opportunity to practice in the 240 bed hospital and in the field and use self-study facilities such as CD-ROMs, video, slide programs and library. It is possible for trainees attending courses to opt to stay on for in-service training after the courses have finished. The duration and content of the in-service training period will be arranged according to the experience and the interest of the individual trainee.
Training fees
Students stay at the ALERT hostel. Each student has a single study room. The bathroom is shared between 4 students.
Basic training fees amount to US$ 460 per week. This covers tuition, full board and lodging, laundry facilities, airport service, weekend transportation and Ethiopian Birr 30 per day pocket money. Field trips are an additional US$ 25 per day for transportation, facilitation and living expenses. Special rates are available for long-term in-service trainees. Please note that ALERT does not provide any sponsorship.
If you are interested in any of the training opportunities in this brochure, contact the Training Division of ALERT. You will be sent a brochure with practical information about staying at ALERT and an application form which you should fill and send at least 3 months before the course starts.
Health
ALERT does not provide health insurance. Please make sure that you are suitably insured before coming to Ethiopia.
You need a valid yellow fever vaccination certification. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended. Although there is no malaria at ALERT, you may be exposed during field visits.
ALERT is situated at 2400 meters above sea level to the climate can be cold. It is recommended that you bring warm clothes and rain wear.
Visa formalities
As soon as you are accepted for a course, we will send you a letter of acceptance which you may use to obtain a visa for Ethiopia. Because administrative formalities can be time consuming, we advise you to apply as early as possible.
If your country has no Ethiopian Embassy, please send your passport number, nationality and your name as written in the passport to ALERT at least three weeks before you are due to leave. We will then fax your entry permit number. You need this to get on the plane. At Addis Ababa airport immigration, you will be issued with an entry visa which you will have to pay personally in hard currency. You should bring US$ 25 for this.
Upon departure, you need US$ 20 to pay for your airport tax.
For further information, please contact:
ALERT Training Division
P.O. Box 165, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel. +251-1-711524 or 251-1-712792
Fax: +251-1-711199 or 251-1-711390
E-mail: leprosytb©telecom.net.et
www.telecom.net.et/~tdalert
Canada. 43rd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 21- 23 September 2003, Toronto, Canada.
Contact: ASM Conferences, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. Tel: +1 202 942 9248; Fax: +1 202 942 9340;
E-mail: meetingsinfo@asmusa.org
The Netherlands. Call for Proposals for Health System Research Projects.
Netherlands Leprosy Relief (NLR), established in 1967, provided support for scientific research already in an early stage of its existence. Since 1992, NLR earmarks an annual budget of € 680.000 for scientific research, which presently represents 7.7% of the total budget for all projects.
The Board of NLR is advised by a Committee for Scientific Research, comprising a number of experts, each of whom monitor a particular area in the field of research.
In collaboration with researchers from supported research institutes in the Netherlands, as well as researchers and program managers from endemic countries, priority research topics have been identified, based on recognized needs from the field. The following themes were prioritized:
Reactions and recent nerve damage;
Prevention of disabilities;
Early diagnosis of disease and chemotherapy;
Incidence and transmission.
The NLR Committee for Scientific Research invites you to submit proposals for Health System Research on one of the above mentioned topics.
The Committee will only consider proposals written in accordance with the NLR application form. You can apply for this application form and a copy of the NLR Scientific Research Policy paper to:
Secretary Committee Scientific Research JW Dogger,
P.O. Box 95005, 1090 HA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Or e-mail to j.dogger@leprastiching.nl or c.vroonland@leprastichdng.nl
Spain. International Leprosy, Tropical and Imported Dermatosis Course. 4-8 November 2002. For further information please contact Dr. Jose Terencio de las Aguas. Fax: 34-966423-353 or E-mail: drjoseterencio@ hotmail.com
The course will take place at Valencia University under the direction of Dr. Jose Terencio de las Aguas and Dr. Juan José Vilata. The course is intended for Dermatology Residents, other Dermatologists, Leprologists and Paramedical Workers.
U.K. 13th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), 10-13 May 2003, Glasgow, U.K.
Contact: 13th ECCMID 2003, AKM Congress Service, P.O. Box, CH-4005, Basel, Switzerland. Tel: +41 61 686 77 11; Fax: +41 61 686 77 88; E-mail: info@akm.ch
U.K. The Leprosy Mission International Announcement for Wellesley Bailey Awards.
The Leprosy Mission International (TLM1) welcomes nominations for the Wellesley Bailey Awards to be presented at a special reception in England between 12th and 14th June 2003. They are for people who have had leprosy, who have made a significant contribution to their community or society, and have shown outstanding courage in overcoming challenging situations. The person nominated must not be told, as we do not want to cause any disappointment if not selected. Self-nominations are not accepted.
Two separate Awards will be given: one male and one female. Unsuccessful nominations from previous years may be presented for reconsideration. The deadline for nominations with accompanying papers to reach TLMI is 10th January 2003.
Further details about the Awards and required documentation are obtainable from: Joyce Missing, The Leprosy Mission International Office, 80 Windmill Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 0QH, U.K., Tel: +44 20 8326 6767; Fax : + 44 20 8326 6777; E-mail: JoyceM@tlmint.org
U.S.A. 41st Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, October 2003, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
Contact: Phil Bolin, Infectious Diseases Society of America, 99 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 210, Alexandria, VA 22314, U.S.A. Tel: +1 709 299 0200; Fax: +1 709 299 0204; E-mail: info@