During the evening returned Fellows will give presentations about the project work they were involved in during their placement followed by a question and answer session. Those confirmed to present so far  have recently completed their placements in Samlout, Cambodia; East London, Eastern Cape and George, Western Cape, South Africa.

The evening will start at 6.15pm with a buffet supper where you will have the chance to chat informally with Fellows and other people allied to the programme.  The event will be held at Southern House, Otterbourne, Winchester which is where the programme is run from - please find directions attached or for online directions Click here .

More information and to register to attend : Contact Deborah Watts.

How have the troubles in South Sudan affected the link with Wau?

October 2015 saw a change in direction.  Due to the political situation in South Sudan and its effects on Wau,  the scheduled trip was diverted to the town of Lira in Northern Uganda. Lira has a referral hospital,  with 500 beds, and a new University which currently trains midwives.

What happens at Lira?

The team was warmly welcomed by both the hospital and University. The team was impressed by the enthusiasm and knowledge base of the students.  Many have worked in health care for some years and want to formalise their experiences and gain a good degree. 

The midwifery course is delivering a very comprehensive curriculum which will include training in additional skills, enabling the midwives to manage without a doctor in clinics in rural Africa. The maternity block is ready to open for outpatients and inpatient care including a facility for caesarean section.

A 16 bed Critical Care area is to be developed and the Poole Africa Link is providing

some equipment. 

What will the Poole Africa Link do next?

The Link is going to focus its work on Lira and its latest December, 2016 reportoutlines plans for visits this year. 

How does this leave Wau?

Although personal support will continue to be provided to individuals in Wau, the situation there remains too unstable for the type of training support provided by an organisation like the Poole Africa Link. Other NGOs that provide support in conflict situations e.g. the Red Cross, will continue to work there. Reliefweb informationabout population movements gives an indication of the present situation. 

Can the Poole Africa Link provide any help for training South Sudanese staff?

Yes - it could. The political situation is stable in Uganda, the accommodation good and the area generally safer for teams to visit. The government of Uganda is committed to help South Sudan, and the University is very keen for the Poole Africa Link to develop training for both their students and for students from South Sudan.

Would the Poole Africa Link like more help?

Yes. Anyone interested to find out more or to help with this work should contact Hilary Fenton-Harris 

• production
• processing and distribution 
• consumption and waste

• The latest situation on avian influenza (bird flu) and actions to reduce the risks(UK Government)
• Hampshire : Poultry gatherings suspended following avian flu case (Hants County Council)

• Volunteering increases career prospects, Oxfam study finds (Oxfam Mail)
• The impact of aid: inspiring individuals on the frontline share their experiences(BOND) 

• 2016 in review
• December funding update
• Film : Home - a virtual reality journey to some of the world's worst humanitarian crises

• Planned by the UN OCHA for October, a new Centre will offer data services, training programmes and more.

• South Sudan's Government Calls for Peace Dialogue (Voice of America)

• Lack of money forces closure of 11 UN health clinics in Sudan (Guardian) 

• UN inaugurates water supply system in Los Palis as part of anti-cholera fight(UN News Centre)

• Greece: severe weather places refugees at risk and government under fire(Guardian)

• Humanitarian priorities for the EU in 2017 (New Europe)
• Aid going up but spend on refugees leads to reduction for poorer countries(Public Finance International)
• Israel cuts aid to Senegal over U.N. settlement vote (Humanosphere)
• Israel to cut $6m from UN dues in protest over settlements resolution(Guardian)

• Latest Update (Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs)

• Mosul Situation Report (UN OCHA)
• Global Emergency Overview (ACAPS)

It might be of interest to people working in public health outside the UK but want to join the Faculty's international network of public health professionals

Public health professionals outside the UK can apply to become an International Practitioner Member if:

1. They are not registered as a public health specialist in the UK
2. They are not eligible for any other FPH membership category (excluding student, associate, distinction and honorary grades of membership)
3. They are registered as a health professional outside of the UK or have completed relevant training in a country which cannot register you as a health professional.
4. They have at least 3 years of experience working in core public health

• Read the blog that describes it in more detail
• Use the tool itself

Research is essential to provide good evidence to inform local, national and international policy that, in turn, has the potential to transform lives for the better.

But influencing policy is neither easy nor automatic – you need to want to do it. To be successful, you need to be open to different ways of working.

This briefing paper by the Overseas Development Institute identifies 10 things you need to know if you want to use research to influence policy.
 

5 Myths about Cash Transfers

Aid in the form of cash is proven to be effective, efficient and flexible. In the wake of recent media scepticism of direct aid, the Overseas Development Institute offer evidence to debunk some common misconceptions.

Investing in mental health in low-income countries

This research set out to make investing in mental health services realistic and manageable for Low Income Country governments. It found that there were valuable steps that governments can take with limited funding, and suggests and sets out incremental approaches to both investment and service delivery.
 

Development finance for water resources: trends in the Middle East and North Africa

This report from the Overseas Development Institute explores changes in finance sources and access to water resources finance by Middle East and North African (MENA) countries over the past decade. It concludes that water resources finance has been deprioritised in most territories, and that access to finance is related to progress with institutional and policy reforms. It also makes recommendations. 

RESEARCH

NEW LANCET SERIES

Lancet Planetary Health 

The Lancet is launching The Lancet Planetary Health, a new online-only, open access title. 

Planetary health has been defined as the health of the human civilisation and the state of the natural systems on which it depends.

We need to think of humanity as one of the key driving forces of global environmental change. We live on a planet that is shaped by the activity of human beings. We have benefited from the exploitation of the natural resources of the environment and this has allowed us to develop, flourish, and to improve our health. But, we have now gone beyond a sustainable limit. The planet we live in is in grave danger. Species are under pressure. The environmental changes to the climate, the water, the land, and ecosystems are challenging life on the Earth with serious implications for our health and wellbeing. The way we think about the planet needs to be revised, and with it the approach we take to interact with it.

This monthly journal is committed to publishing high-quality original Research Articles, Editorials, Comments, and Correspondence that contribute to defining and advancing planetary health worldwide.

More information and to register. 

Hypertension

• Worldwide trends in blood pressure from 1975 to 2015: a pooled analysis of 1479 population-based measurement studies with 19·1 million participants(Lancet) 

• Investing in the foundation of sustainable development: pathways to scale up for early childhood development (Lancet) 

• Effect of a Primary Care–Based Psychological Intervention on Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders in Zimbabwe : A Randomised Clinical Trial(JAMA)
• See 'Friendship Bench' therapy significantly reduced anxiety and depression in Zimbabwe for summary of the above (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)

• Mass deworming to improve developmental health and wellbeing of children in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and network meta-analysis (Not as effective as you might have thought) (The Lancet, Global Health) 

• Management of hepatitis C virus infection in the Asia-Pacific region: an update (The Lancet) 

• Indoor Residual Spraying Delivery Models to Prevent Malaria: Comparison of Community- and District-Based Approaches in Ethiopia (Global Health Science and Practice) 

• Benefits and Limitations of a Community-Engaged Emergency Referral System in a Remote, Impoverished Setting of Northern Ghana (Global Health Science and Practice) 

• Limited Effectiveness of a Skills and Drills Intervention to Improve Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care in Karnataka, India: A Proof-of-Concept Study(Global Health Science and Practice) 

• Web-Based Quality Assurance Process Drives Improvements in Obstetric Ultrasound in 5 Low- and Middle-Income Countries (Global Health Science and Practice)  

• Qualitative Assessment of the Application of a Discrete Choice Experiment With Community Health Workers in Uganda: Aligning Incentives With Preferences (Global Health Science and Practice)