Concept: There is an unprecedented investment into research on diseases of poverty in the recent years. This has led to a sharp increase in collaborative research and number of clinical and field trials targeted at understanding the epidemiology and development of interventions against these diseases. Inevitably, there is a rise in research studies being implemented in Africa, against a background of relatively few well trained scientists at study sites.
Most of the University curricula in Africa have relatively poor coverage of practical epidemiology training even at the post graduate level. The scientists in the field are thus left to cope with challenges of implementing their research without sufficient preparation nor a framework to address practical hurdles by themselves. Moreover, there is a general lack of opportunities for training to refresh or sharpen skills after post graduate qualification.
The Ifakara Health Institute- Bagamoyo Research and Training Centre (IHI- BRTC) and the African Malaria Network Trust (AMANET), in response to these field challenges, have decided to create an international course that will address this gap with regard to clinical and field epidemiology together with the ethical issues associated with the research.
Objectives of the course:
- Contribute to capacity development through provision and refreshing practical acumen in clinical and epidemiological skills;
- Practical course refreshing study designs and implementation of research studies;
- Address practical challenges commonly experienced in research in resource constrained settings;
- Address practical challenges of implementing GCP complaint and ethical research.
Participants:
This course is designed for middle to senior level research scientists. It is envisaged to be useful also to students attending their research part of post graduate training in fields such as MPH, MSc or MMED. To ensure that the desired standard is maintained, participants must have gained at least a basic degree with two years research experience or a completed/taking post graduate training.
Participants will be drawn from all over Africa, total number of participants is 20.
Course methodology:
- Overviews and Discussions:
Expert reviews will be presented and participants will have time for questions and discussions;
- Group work:
Practical exercises in relevant epidemiological scenarios will be given to trainees with marked outputs;
- Field visits:
Participants will have opportunities to visit ongoing studies and focus on specific aspects relevant to the course such is implementation of complex study designs, preparatory training for field work, administration of informed consent etc.
Course contents:
- Study design, implememtation and data analysis
- Field trials of health intervention
- Quality assurance assessment and implementation
- Data collection and data management
- Expectation from the industry and society at large
- DSMBs, CROs, and study monitoring
- Article review
- Sample size calculations
- GCP
- Ethics – clinical trials
Commencing Date & Duration:
18th August up to 29th August 2008
Venue: Paradise Holiday Resort Bagamoyo
Application modality:
Send a mail of interest to participate to the course coordinator at one of these addresses latest:
Postal: Dr Kafuruki M. Shubis, IHI- BRTC, P.O.BOX 74 Bagamoyo
E-mail: kshubis@ihi.or.tz or shubisk@gmail.com
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