Development Minister sees how East London medical staff are helping people in Uganda

International Health Links Funding Scheme - Apply now!
The International Health Links Funding Scheme (IHLFS), worth £3 million, is a three-year scheme that provides grants and support for Links. The primary purpose of Links is to build the capacity of developing countries’ health systems. Under the scheme, three types of grants will be available for target countries: 1) Small grants (up to  £3,000), 2) Medium grants (up to £15,000 for one or two years), and 3) Large grants (up to £60,000 for one or two years). Click here to find out how you can apply.

THET launches new website
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new website. Designed to be more user-friendly and visually appealing we hope you enjoy browsing through our new sections - start browsing here. As we continue to develop our website we would be grateful for your feedback. Please send your comments to erin@thet.org. We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Richard Shepherd (www.richardshepherd.com), our wonderful web designer, who has volunteered his time and talents to redo our website. We are are extremely grateful for Richard's time and commitment over the past few months.

New logo for THET
THET is happy to announce that we have a new logo. We would like to thank James at Eonic (www.eonic.co.uk) for all his hard work and brilliant creativity in designing a new logo for THET in fitting with our new website and new look.


THET Events and Activities

Royal College of Physicians
Please join us at the Royal College of Physicians Chamber Music Concert on Monday, 16th November. Music will be played by Fellows and Members of the College and will take place at the Dorchester Library, 11 St Andrew’s Place, Regents Park, London NW1 4LE at 7:15 pm. Admission is free and all are welcome! There will be an open cash bar after the performance. A retiring collection will be in aid of THET.

Latest News for Links

Health Link of the Month - UWE Bristol - DWU Papua New Guinea
This Link began as a small health promotion initiative in Port Moresby; The Capital City of Papua New Guinea (PNG). It has since led to a successful malaria prevention program in the remote Batri villages of the Southern Highlands of PNG. Dr Jane Fitzpatrick has recently returned from PNG where she shared ideas in funding health care initiatives with colleagues at the 45 Medical Symposium in Port Moresby. She also visited Divine Word University (DWU) to consolidate the ongoing work of the Link between UWE and DWU initiated by THET in 2006. Following a scoping exercises undertaken by UWE and DWU in 2008, the Link has been developing a range of initiatives to support staff and students engaging with e-learning. All staff within the faculty of health sciences now provide on-line learning materials to support student learning.

Mobile Healthcare for Africa - Request for proposals 2009
Microsoft Research is now accepting proposals for cash grants to help Africa-based researchers conduct one-year studies on the potential of mobile technologies in the delivery of healthcare-related services on the African continent. Proposals, written in English, will be accepted only through the online application tool. For more information, please click here.

The Common Ground Initiative
The Common Ground initiative is a £20 million fund supporting African development through UK based small and Diaspora organisations. This initiative is managed by Comic Relief and co-funded by the Department for International Development and aims to increase access to grants for small and Diaspora-led organisations in the UK that are working to create real and sustainable changes to some of the poorest and most disadvantaged communities in Africa. Click here to find out more.

Call for Papers! 'The Globalization(s) of the conflict in Somalia' - Deadline 1 December 2009
This conference, which takes place 24-25 March 2010, will explore how the plurality of transnational forces is helping to shape the conflict in Somalia – and how Somalia, in turn, is bring its internal conflicts and contradictions to the world stage. To this end, the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence would like to invite you to submit an abstract of up to 500 words for a two-day conference entitled ‘The Globalization(s) of the conflict in Somalia’. Please submit abstracts to Emma Leonard at emma.leonard@st-andrews.ac.uk. For further information please contact either Emma Leonard (as above) or Gilbert Ramsay at gawr2@st-andrews.ac.uk.

Health Link Events and Activities

Academy of Medical Sciences International Lecture - Tuesday, 17 November 2009
This year’s lecture will be given by Professor Nicholas White OBE FRS FMedScie, Professor of Tropical Medicine at Mahidol University, Thailand and the University of Oxford on the topic of ‘Malaria elimination: feasible or futile?’. The conference takes place at th Wellcome Collection Conference Centre, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE.  Doors open at 5:30pm and lecture begins at 6:00pm, followed by a drinks reception at 7:00pm.

The 6th IET International Seminar on Appropriate Healthcare Technologies for Developing Countries - Thursday, 13 May 2010
The IET International Seminar is again coming to IET London and will provide a great opportunity to learn about the key issues surrounding healthcare provision in the developing world. Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chair of WHO Patient Safety will deliver the keynote address on the main topic. The IET, Savoy Place, London, 6:00 pm. Please see www.theiet.org/aht for more details.

Resources for Links

Handbook on Monitoring and Evaluation of Human Resources for Health
This Handbook aims to increase that technical capacity. It offers health managers, researchers and policy makers a comprehensive, standardized and user-friendly reference for monitoring and evaluating human resources for health. It brings together an analytical framework with strategy options for improving the health workforce information and evidence base, as well as country experiences to highlight approaches that have worked. To download this handbook, please click here.

Make Poverty History - 'Beyond Reach?', the novel
This book is a witty fiction novel, based on facts, and is a great read for anyone who supported the Make Poverty History campaign, who bought a wrist band, or who just wants a good read about one of the most important issues of our time. Royalties from the book go to agencies working to eradicate poverty. “Beyond Reach?” is published by Longstone Books, 239 pages, price £9.99. ISBN: 978-0-9554373-7-3.

Vacancies

THET currently has the following vacancies: Volunteer Nurse and Midwifery Tutors to be seconded by the Ministry of Health in Zambia; and Volunteer Senior Lecturers in Psychiatry, Pathology and Anaesthetics to be seconded by the University of Zambia. For full job descriptions, please click here.