Monthly Progress Report: June 2013

The meeting aimed to review e-learning materials for IDSR, finalize the IDSR logic model, and discuss potential activity areas for inclusion into the FY2014 WHO AFRO grant as well as the development of a M&E framework for IDSR. ASH also participated in the “Maternal Health and HIV: Examining Research through a Programmatic Lens” technical consultation in Boston, which focused on research and program implications for Africa, and brought together 60 researchers and HIV and maternal health leaders from the US and Africa. ASH participated in the meeting of the WHO Effectiveness and Research working group (ERG) that took place immediately following the RBM Malaria in Pregnancy Working Group annual meeting in Geneva. This meeting provided an opportunity for ASH to contribute to the development of an international consensus on the approach for assessments and factors of relevance for strengthening IPTp service delivery. ASH has been invited to contribute to the development of the ERG framework and provided comments on the framework to the ERG in June. ASH collaborated with the LMG project to plan a session on leadership and management capacity building for East, Central and Southern Africa health professional associations that will be part of the ECSA Regional Forum on Maternal and Newborn Health in Arusha from August 19-23. This session will serve as the initial leadership and management capacity building activity and will yield information and guidance for future support to the associations. ASH also worked with the Survive & Thrive GDA partners to plan this session. ASH participated in a meeting with the Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB) about the possibility of collaborating to conduct facility level assessments in Mozambique using the assessment framework developed by the ERG. This collaboration would be of interest since Mozambique is one of the three countries of interest to PMI with regard to the ASH assessments. However, further consideration of the compatibility of the approaches, frameworks and timing is needed. ASH will follow up with CRESIB and PMI in July to inform a decision about whether or not to proceed with CRESIB or to work with PMI to choose a country other than Mozambique. ASH's major activity for IDSR was participation in a joint WHO/AFRO, CDC/ASH meeting in Brazzaville, Congo. The agenda included the review of e-learning materials for IDSR, the finalization of the IDSR logic model, a discussion of potential activity areas for inclusion into the FY2014 WHO AFRO grant, participation in the 2013 AFENET Conference and the development of a M&E framework for IDSR. Planning for the IDSR evaluation in Botswana continued and two teleconferences were held that included participants from CDC (Atlanta and Botswana), WHO (Botswana and AFRO), Botswana MoH and ASH.