PLATFORM ON HUMAN HEALTH Steering Committee Meeting June 23, :00 16:00 Minutes

Transcription

1 PLATFORM ON HUMAN HEALTH Steering Committee Meeting June 23, :00 16:00 Minutes Present: AU: DTU: KU: RUC: SDU: Secretariat: Absent: AAU Ulrika Enemark (stand in for Søren Kjærgaard) Arne Büchert Flemming Konradsen/FK Louise Rasmussen (stand in for Lisa Richey) Morten Sodemann Bjørg Elvekjær Knud Erik Skouby Ad 1) Approval of agenda and appointment of chairman The agenda was approved. FK was appointed chairman of the meeting. Ad 2) Assessment of proposed activities to be supported by remaining funds from the 2010 (pilot) grant FK presented the overall criteria that should be met in order for activities to obtain funding from the two budget lines with remaining means under the extended 2010 PHH grant: A general condition is that the activities must be completed by the end of Activities funded under the budget line Research capacity development of South partners should - have a direct link to selected partners in one or both of PHH s present priority countries - provide support to selected scientific focus areas and/or involve capacity building that fits with the overall plans outlined in the initial concept note that can be carried over into the work packages formulated for phase one. Activities funded under the budget line strengthening and mobilizing resource base DK - may in addition involve research for health collaboration, capacity building, knowledge sharing and networking focused on low income countries and together with institutions that are not included as a priority in PHH phase one - will be given priority if linked to already established PHH Thematic Working Groups Assessments of activities 1-14 are based on the proposals circulated to the Steering Committee members prior to the meeting and included in the overview sheet. The proposals presenting activities were received too late to be circulated in advance and were presented straight at the meeting. (The background information available concerning these activities will be circulated together with draft minutes.)

2 (The summarized conclusions listed below have been communicated to the applicants in the week following the meeting.) 1. Support to 2 PhDs from KCMC and NIMR Applicant University of Copenhagen, Centre for Medical Parasitology (CMP) Budget: DKK Assessment: Relevant in terms of the partners and a direct match with PHH s priority to support postgraduate education. Status: Approved, subject to applicant s documentation of reasons why these PhDs require additional funding to be completed; and how it is foreseen that the two PhD students will contribute to KCMC and NIMR activities in the future. 2. Staff member from KCMC trained in web Applicant University of Copenhagen, Centre for Medical Parasitology (CMP) Budget: DKK Assessment: Match with main partner and relevant capacity building activity Status: Approved 3. ICT and Health Stakeholder Workshop, Ghana (GTUC and UoG) Applicant Aalborg University Copenhagen, Center for Communication, Media and Information technologies Budget: DKK Assessment: Relevant in terms of selected country, and the activity matches the overall plans in phase one in Ghana to further explore the area of ICT and health and opportunities to expand partnerships within this field. The activity also links well with and will feed into the planning of activities in PHH s thematic E-health Working Group. Thus it is expected that workshop involves specific planning of activities that could feed into PHH s long term program of collaboration. Status: Approved, subject to the applicant s further elaboration on the overall purpose of the workshop as a specific outcome of the first planning visit, including a program and list of expected outputs, description of various participants roles, and how specific follow up activities including a fundraising strategy will be ensured. 4. Fact finding mission, Uganda/Gulu DSS systems University of Southern Denmark (proposed by Morten Sodemann) Budget: DKK Assessment: Uganda is not a PHH partner country and the University of Gulu is not a PHH partner institution in phase one. The assessment is that it would be premature to initiate a fact finding mission to Uganda at this early stage. Status: Not approved. However, identification of overall collaboration between PHH and the Platform on Democracy Stability and Rights on crosscutting topics, including human security and health, is encouraged, and the applicant is invited to identify activities within common fields of interest that could be accommodated within PHH s partner, activity and budget frame for phase one. This could e.g. include approval of GULU student s on web based courses offered by PHH partners in Ghana and Tanzania. 5. Diagonal approach Applicant: Aarhus University, Centre for International Health Budget: DKK Assessment: More elaborate links to and synergy with PHH s present framework and activities were missing in order for the proposal to be taken into consideration at this stage.

3 Status: Not approved. However, the applicant is invited to reformulate the proposal in dialogue with relevant PHH Working Group members (to be appointed during the inception phase) considering how the diagonal approach could be further developed and integrated into the approved phase one work packages e.g. into specific PhD course activities. 6. Financial Management Workshops KCM + NIMR TZ & UoG + KNUST Ghana Applicant: PHH Capacity Building Support Unit Budget: DKK Assessment: Direct match with already identified plans and partners. It is advised that Zanzibar partners are also invited to participate as well as relevant sister BSU platform partners including Sokoine University of Agriculture and University of Dar es Salaam. Status: Approved 7. Annual Platform Meeting Applicant: PHH Capacity Building Support Unit Budget: DKK Assessment: Falls within already agreed plans and meets expressed needs of S and N partners Status: Approved. 8. Research project development, Nepal Applicant: University of Southern Denmark, Esbjerg Budget: DKK Assessment: Nepal is not a PHH partner country and PHH does not host any related Thematic Working Group, thus the proposal falls outside PHHs priorities within the field of Research capacity development of South partners in phase one. Status: Not approved 9. Short course Occupational Health, Muhimbili University TZ Applicant: Aarhus University Budget: USD Assessment: The partner institution and the topic fall outside the priorities of PHH in its initial phases Status: Not approved. However, the applicant is invited to reformulate the proposal in dialogue with the relevant PHH Working Group members (to be appointed during the inception phase) taking into consideration if/how the activity could be further developed e.g. into a PhD course to match a selected partner institution and agreed priorities within the framework of the future PHH collaboration. 10. Courses in biostatistics, KCMC and UoG Applicant Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institute Budget: DKK Assessment: The partners, the topic and the activity match PHH priorities, and initial activities carry well over into phase one. However, the applicant is requested to assess and report back to the Secretariat on the likelihood of implementation of both courses during 2011 together with relevant Working Group leaders as soon as these have been appointed. Status: Approved 11. Hands on course in lab. techniques Applicant University of Copenhagen, Centre for Medical Parasitology (CMP) Budget: DKK

4 Assessment: The partner and the topic fall within the priorities of PHH in phase one, but further information was requested as outlined below: Status: Approved, subject to submission of a more detailed budget; documentation on how the activity matches expressed needs from the South partner (KCMC); and elaboration on how the course supports and feeds into the PHH activity plans in phase one. 12. Guinnea Bissau Seminar Applicant: Guinea Bissau Working Group Budget: DKK Assessment: The seminar provides relevant opportunities to share research findings and for networking Status: Already approved. 13. Occupational Health and Safety Ghana seminar Applicant Working Group on Environmental and Occupational Health Budget: DKK Assessment: The seminar provides relevant opportunities for sharing research findings and networking opportunities Status: Already approved. 14. Participation in INDEPTH Scientific Conference, Mozambique Applicant Aarhus University/Guinea Bissau Working Group Budget: DKK Assessment: The activity has relevant networking potentials and provides opportunities for sharing relevant research findings. Status: Approved. 15. Development of HPV project, collaboration with partners in TZ mainland incl. KCMC and Zanzibar Applicant: University of Southern Denmark Budget: DKK Assessment: Match with PHH phase one partner country, institution(s) and scientific focus area. It is encouraged to involve researchers from several Danish universities. Status: Approved, subject to submission of additional information about the participants and the program of the workshop, including reflections concerning coordination with Zanzibar reproductive health activities and partners. 16. Seminar on gender, HIV/AIDS and reproductive health at KCMC TZ Applicant: Collaboration between the PHH Working Group on Governance and Communication and the Working Group on Reproductive health Budget: DKK Assessment: The country, the partner and the topic are all relevant, but a seminar like this is too much of a stand- alone activity and the time plan seems very tight. Status: Not approved. However, the applicant is invited to reformulate the proposal in dialogue with the relevant PHH Working Group members (to be appointed during the inception pahse) taking into consideration how the activity could be further developed into a PhD course activity that fits with the work packages approved for phase one. It is also advised to consider how the activity could involve PHH Zanzibar and Ghana partners. 17. Facilitation and coordination of pilot phase Zanzibar activities (with a main focus on the reproductive health component)

5 Applicant: PHH Capacity Building Support Unit supported by staff from University of Copenhagen (KU), International Health Unit Budget: DKK (+ up to USD for implementation) Assessment: It is recommended to assign an already involved Zanzibar knowledgeable resource person from KU (Ida Marie Boas) to facilitate the coordination and carrying over of the reproductive health and environmental health activities in Zanzibar from the PHH pilot phase into the inception phase and phase one. The main activity of the resource person will be to support the continued planning and implementation of the ALSO course, and to initiate the drafting of a reproductive health PhD research protocol in close dialogue with Zanzibar counterparts. Furthermore the resource person will be assigned to support environmental health course related activities and cross cutting and organizational PHH issues as required during the period. Status: Subject to approved Terms of Reference funds of maximum DK will be made available for travel, per diem, accommodation, and basic running costs for a stay in Zanzibar of a maximum period of 2 months (during September-December TBA). Ad 3) Building the organization The section in the PHH proposal (p ) outlines the overall framework and structure of the organization and the guidelines for appointment of representatives in the various entities respectively from North and South: BSU Partnership Steering Committees; PHH Implementing Committees; PHH Working Groups The BSU Partnership Steering Committee The BSU Partnership Steering Committee represents the highest oversight authority related to the agreed collaboration with the individual partnership as composed at each location. The chairperson(s) of the involved platform(s) (each) appoint their individual Danish representative. The PHH Implementing Committees It is the Danish Steering Committee that appoints the Danish leaders of the PHH implementing Committee at each location. At the Steering Committee meeting 23/6 following persons were suggested for these posts in the first phase: Ghana, University of Ghana: Ulrika Enemark Associate Professor, Århus Universitet, Afdeling for Sundhedstjenesteforskning or Jørgen Kurtzhals Associate Professor, KU, Institut for International Sundhed, Immunologi + Mikrobiologi og Rigshospitalet Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology: Pascal Magnussen Senior Researcher, KU, LIFE, Section of Parasitology, Health and Development, Department of Veterinary Disease Biology

6 Tanzania mainland: Thor Theander Professor, KU, Institut for International Sundhed, Immunologi og Mikrobiologi, Centre for Medical Parasitology Zanzibar: Henrik Bregnhøj Special Advisor, KU & DTU, Web learning and Environmental Health The Steering Committee members were asked to report back to the Secretariat within a week if their institutions had any objections to these candidates or had alternative candidates they wanted to be taken into consideration. Work Package Working Groups The Steering Committee members were asked to consider relevant staff members from their institutions to serve as DK appointed leaders and members of the various Working Group teams (postgraduate education, research, institutional capacity building work packages) in support of specific planning and implementation of selected activities. Names will be made available to the DK leaders of the Implementing Committees who will be in charge of final selection of DK leader and members/setting the final Working Group teams together with their S counterparts during the inception phase. Process, procedures and selection criteria To fill the various functions the Working Group teams require researchers as well as administrators and coordinators. Overall criteria to qualify as leader/member of a Working Group include relevant background and experience including knowledge of the specific country and institution or similar set-ups as well as commitment and actual time available to solve the tasks as required. To meet the last criteria the institutions are advised to be open-minded in their pursuit to identify staff to solve the tasks in the Working Groups, i.e. make an effort to widen the present resource base. Contributions to the organization count as a part of the Danish universities co-financing The overall Building Stronger Universities agreement between Universities Denmark (DU) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) states that DU is committed to co-finance the part of the grant allocated to North (50 %) 1:1 (minus the 20 % overhead). For the Platform on Human Health this equals to contributions of a total value of DKK4 mill. adding to the DKK 10 mill. MoFA grant. It is envisaged that the main bulk of this co-financing will be provided in staff time as in-kind contributions (including the resources and time contributed to the organization outlined in the above sections). Common- co-financing principles and guidelines are in the process of being developed that can be handled across the platforms to ensure the financial commitment required from each involved university. These are expected to be presented for approval at the first Rector s Conference after the summer vacation. PHH links and support to the research for health resource base It is proposed to hold the annual PHH meeting in October 2011 as an open meeting with a two day program allowing partners to meet and network across sectors, institutions and regions. Day one will be dedicated

7 to a general introduction and discussions of planned activities while selected donors will be invited to make presentations and participate in group discussions and bilateral meetings on day two to explore specific funding opportunities. Participants include university members of the platform, for day two also members from other platforms, the wide Danish research for health resource persons across institutions and sectors, and representatives from partner institutions, mainly Ghana, Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar. The role of the Danish Steering Committee The Danish PHH Steering Committee comprises one member from each Danish university (DU) active in PHH including a chairperson (all appointed by the Danish Rectors Conference). The Steering Committee approves the overall PHH activity plans and budgets, guides the division of tasks and responsibilities between the Danish partners, and reports back to UD on the progress via the Chairperson. It was reiterated that the steering committee members are responsible for communication with their institutions about PHH progress. At the meeting it was pointed out that the organization diagram in the proposal incorrectly indicates independent lines of communication between e.g. the Thematic Working Groups and UD. The diagram will be revisited, revised as appropriate, and consolidated during the inception phase. Ad 4) Inception phase Ghana, Tanzania, Zanzibar The purpose with the inception phase (running from first of August) is to agree on and establish the organization and to develop a detailed activity plan and budget for phase one in dialogue with the selected South partners. Subsequently, and parallel with the other three platforms, PHH must forward an inception report to the MoFA. It is foreseen that the appointed leaders of the Implementing Committees will be in charge of the planning and implementation of this dialogue process together with their respective counterparts. For further details concerning time- and guidelines common to all the BSU platforms please refer to the notes from the BSU platform ccoordination meeting 27/6). Ad 5) Steering Committee Meeting Plan 2011 It was proposed that the Steering Committee meets again next time third week of August to discuss the inception phase process, and the various organizational and co-financing issues in more details. Bjørg sends Doodle