[afro-nets] Call for applications: Implementation research

[TDR Scientists List <TDR-SCIENTISTS@WHO.INT>]

Call for applications: Implementation research
----------------------------------------------
 
Closing date for applications: 15 March 2006
 
Call for applications available in full at:
http://www.who.int/tdr/grants/workplans/ir4.htm
 
 
TDR is building on its experience in community-directed treat-
ment (ComDT) for onchocerciasis and home management for uncom-
plicated malaria (HMM); it is now strategically broadening the 
scope of implementation research (IR) and addresses implementa-
tion research as an integral part of the research process to 
move control products that are presently available and any new 
products so that they can have a significant impact on disease 
burden.
 
TDR's increased emphasis on IR is focusing on researchable is-
sues pertaining mainly to the consumer side of access and scale-
up using appropriate qualitative, quantitative and interven-
tional methodologies that address bottlenecks in implementation 
inherent to the change of scale of implementation, from small to 
large. Some of these researchable issues include:
 
- assessing the real-life, setting-specific large scale effec-
tiveness of disease control tools, products and approaches in 
order to provide the evidence that policy makers need to take 
decisions on choice of options and to set realistic implementa-
tion targets.
 
- identification of common critical implementation problems that 
are susceptible to research and their consumer-related determi-
nants which, if addressed, could result in effective large scale 
equitable access to interventions
 
- development of practical solutions to implementation problems, 
and testing whether new implementation strategies based on these 
solutions are effective and can significantly improve access un-
der real life conditions of routine disease control.
 
- determination of the best and cost effective way to introduce 
new implementation strategies into the public and private health 
care systems and approaches to facilitate their full-scale im-
plementation, evaluation and modification as required.
 
Implementation research necessitates the formation of strong 
partnerships and linkages with those engaged in and implementing 
disease control including health care providers of all types and 
at all levels, control programmes of ministries of health, pol-
icy makers, implementing UN agencies such as UNICEF and non-
governmental organizations. Since IR involves working with indi-
viduals of different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, 
communities living in varied structural and political settings, 
and different types of health care providers, by necessity, the 
research must be conducted by multidisciplinary teams that in-
clude clinical, public health, social science, communication, 
statistical and health systems expertise.
 
The most desirable projects for IR are those which focus on poor 
and marginalized populations, those on the periphery of the for-
mal health sector, those that explore ways of integrated ap-
proaches that focus on multiple diseases or delivery approaches 
that can include multiple interventions.
 
Areas of interest
 
Although these areas of interest are listed here by disease, 
projects which reflect the desirables mentioned above will re-
ceive priority.
 
- In dengue, IR is focusing on improved vector control and on 
clinical case management of the disease.
 
- In leishmaniasis, IR will contribute to strategies for elimi-
nation
 
- In malaria, efforts will go into improving case management as 
well as the use of combination therapy to prevent drug resis-
tance.
 
- Work in schistosomiasis will address the need for improved 
treatment.
 
- In TB, the focus will be on its interaction with HIV with spe-
cial emphasis on anti retroviral and TB treatment for HIV-
infected TB patients
 
- In Leprosy, the emphasis is on approaches for integration of 
its control into the regular public health system.
 
- IR will also focus on strategies for lymphatic filariasis 
elimination.
 
- In onchocerciasis, focus will continue to be on ivermectin 
strategies.
 
RESEARCH PROPOSALS ARE INVITED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
 
1. Home management of malaria: effectiveness of ACT used in the 
context of HMM, incorporating use of rapid diagnostic testing.
 
2. The development and field testing of drug delivery strategies 
for lymphatic filariasis elimination that achieve high and sus-
tained treatment coverage of targeted endemic urban communities 
with annual single-dose mass treatment in Africa.
 
3. Analysis of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) related knowledge, 
attitudes and treatment practices in communities, health care 
providers and policy makers in Nepal and Bangladesh complemen-
tary to the ongoing study in Bihar, India.
 
How to apply
 
Researchers who would like to collaborate in the planned re-
search activities, may write to the manager of the Implementa-
tion Research Committee. Application forms are available from 
the TDR communications unit or can be downloaded from the TDR 
website at: http://www.who.int/tdr/grants/forms.htm
 
Closing date for applications: 15 March 2006.
 
All correspondence and requests for additional information 
should be sent to:
 
Professor Axel Kroeger
Steering Committee on Implementation Research
TDR, World Health Organization
1211 Geneva 27
Tel: +41-22-791-3398
Fax: +41-22-791-4774
mailto:kroegera@who.int
 
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