CBPHC Workshop: Saturday, November 2, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

by ihsection, posted in APHA IH Section, Community-Based Primary Health Care

Please read and share the following announcement about the Community-Based Primary Health Care Working Group’s annual pre-conference workshop.

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday November 2nd, 8 30 – 5 PM

EVENT: Community Based Primary Health Care APHA Pre-Conference, “Effective CBPHC Tools for Effective Maternal, Newborn and Child Health”

LOCATION: Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, 415 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Current and future practitioners of CBPHC, and anyone interested in improving the health of poor and vulnerable populations in global health

GOALS OF THE WORKSHOP:

  • Share maternal, newborn and child health knowledge and effective practices to improve the effectiveness of your CBPHC programs for greater impact in reducing child, newborn and maternal deaths
  • Learn from experienced health professionals about career paths in CBPHC
  • Network and collaborate with other public health practitioners

We will be sending more information on the agenda in the coming weeks.

REGISTRATION: To register, please contact: Sandy Hoar at hoar@gwu.edu
The registration fee, including morning coffee, is $35 (students $25) and is due on the morning of the conference, November 2nd. To facilitate planning, please register ASAP, but certainly by October 11th, and indicate if you will be joining us for dinner afterwards.

To register, contact Sandy Hoar at hoar@gwu.edu.

Hope to see you at the conference!

Please welcome our video editor, Niniola Soleye!

by ihsection, posted in APHA IH Section

Fellow IH Section members and blog readers, please help me welcome our Video Editor, Niniola Soleye. You may have noticed that someone new has been posting short pieces about global health-related topics. Niniola has taken over this function and has been writing video reviews of global health videos for several weeks now, and I am happy to formally introduce her as part of the IH Blog team. You can read more about her below.

0c56637I am a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a passion for global health as I was born in Nigeria, I am part Ghanaian, and the majority of my relatives live in West Africa. I currently work at an international nonprofit organization working to improve health systems in developing countries with a focus on maternal, newborn and child health, HIV/AIDS, TB, chronic diseases, family planning and reproductive health, and malaria. In my role I support internal communications, knowledge exchange, and learning efforts across the organization.

Guinea-Worm Disease & Eradication: WHO Video Review

by nsoleye, posted in APHA IH Section

Guinea-worm disease, or dracunculiasis, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) with no vaccine or medication for treatment. The disease is caused by a parasitic worm known as the Guinea-worm and is transmitted through contaminated drinking water. Guinea-worm disease is the first parasitic disease set for eradication and this short World Health Organization (WHO) video shows the progress of eradication efforts to date.

When someone drinks water from a source contaminated with water fleas that carry the Guinea-worm larvae, the larvae are released in the stomach and pass into the body cavity. Over the course of 10-14 months, the larvae mature and turn into worms. At this point, a painful blister forms on the outside of the body (usually on the lower legs and feet) as the female worms try to exit the body. The blister causes an intense burning sensation which often leads people to submerge their legs/feet in water for relief. While the blister is submerged, the female worm comes out and releases thousands of larvae into the water, thus contaminating the water and completing the cycle of infection. 

I find it amazing that Guinea-worm disease is on the verge of eradication because in this case, eradication has nearly been achieved through preventive measures alone. From health education and increased detection to water filtration and water treatment, the prevention efforts put forth have decreased the number of reported cases from 1,797 in 2010 to just 90 between January and June 2013.

This is a great accomplishment for the global health community. Congratulations to the WHO, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Carter Center, UNICEF and all others supporting the eradication of Guinea-worm disease!

IH Section Members: Sign up for the International Welcome Booth at the Annual Meeting!

by ihsection, posted in APHA IH Section, Section Announcements

APHA has once again agreed to allow us to host a Welcome Booth for our overseas colleagues. This will be the fifth year we will be hosting the Welcome Booth. The hour or two or more that you spend at the Welcome Booth will be spent on greeting our overseas colleagues, learning about them, providing them with a special ribbon, directing them to appropriate conference rooms, and answering their questions. It is a great place to meet, greet, and help our colleagues from overseas. For some attendees, this may be their first visit to the United States, while for some others this may be their first APHA Annual Meeting! You know that navigating one’s way to various sessions/meetings dispersed among several venues is not an easy task. This is where you could help by volunteering an hour or two each day at the Welcome Booth.

You will get to meet old friends and make some new ones! This is an excellent networking opportunity for everyone.

Please visit the Doodle poll and do the following:

1. Provide your full name (first and last name).
2. Select the days and times when you are available to volunteer.
3. Save your selection before closing the browser.

Note: If you are a student or a new professional, please e-mail Jessica Keralis at jmkeralis [at] gmail [dot] com after signing up for your desired time slot(s). We would be happy to pair you with a longtime member for mentoring, advice, or just someone to help you learn more about our section.

Please make your selection as soon as possible. Thank you!

USAID Global Health Fellows II Program Webinar: Next Wednesday at 2 p.m. EST

by ihsection, posted in Events and Webinars, Information and Social Media

The following announcement is from USAID’s Global Health Fellows II program.

Be Bold, Be Brave, Be Prepared – Be a Global Health Intern Next Summer!

Are you ready to gain crucial global health experience with the largest donor agency in the world? Then it’s time to prep for the Global Health Fellows Program II (GHFP-II) summer 2014 internship application! Register now for our upcoming webinar to learn about our highly-competitive compensated internships with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Washington, DC. You can apply for internships online in January 2014, and the webinar will give you ideas about important steps to start taking now.

GHFP-II is a premier global health program that places fellows and interns with USAID in Washington, D.C. and abroad, and provides them with expert professional and career development support. We have over 130 active fellows, and a summer cohort of about 30 interns, with other internships throughout the year.

Complimentary Webinar: Wednesday, September 18th, 11 am PST / 2 pm EST

Be prepared. To help you succeed in landing your summer internship, we’re offering an interactive webinar during which former interns and GHFP-II staff will present the collective wisdom of our recruitment and outreach teams to assist you in successfully positioning yourself for a GHFP-II internship. Included in the discussion will be an emphasis on applicants’ diverse experiences, “distance traveled,” and community influences.

Answers to Your Questions!

What would you ask a global health recruiter if you had the chance? When you register for this webinar, we invite you to submit a burning question, and we will shape the content of the presentation to answer actual questions from you and your peers. Submit your questions early!

Tune in to learn about:

  • GHFP-II and USAID
  • the GHFP-II internship application process
  • the intern experience, straight from the source
  • What you can do now to make your application stand out!

This webinar comes at no cost to you, and is available wherever internet access is available. Register today, as spots are limited!

GHFP-II Webinar

Be Bold, Be Brave, Be Prepared – Be a Global Health Intern Next Summer!

Date and Time

Wednesday September 18th, 2013 | 2 – 3:30 pm EST | 11 am – 12:30 pm PST

Click here for registration.