Synergy Online -- March 27, 2003

In this issue:
-CSIH INTERNATIONAL HEALTH YOUTH INTERNSHIPS: APPLICATION DEADLINE IS
MARCH 31!
-WORLD HEALTH DAY, APRIL 7 - THEME: HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN
-DFAIT CREATES WEBPAGE AND TOLL-FREE NUMBER FOR INFORMATION AND COMMENTS
ON CRISIS IN IRAQ
-CANADA COMMITTED TO WORLDWIDE FIGHT AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS
-WHO DIRECTOR GENERAL ADDRESSES UN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
-MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES: HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS IN THE WAR IN IRAQ
-NEW PUBLICATION: HARMONIZING DONOR PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE AID DELIVERY
-WHO RELEASES NEW TOOL TO DETECT SUBSTANDARD AND COUNTERFEIT MEDICINES
-PROFILE OF A HIGHLY DECENTRALIZED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM: BOSNIA AND
HERZEGOVINA
-JOB OPPORTUNITY: FIELD MANAGER AND SURVEILLANCE SUPPORT TEAM LEADER,
CANADA-PAKISTAN HIV/AIDS SURVEILLANCE PROJECT
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CSIH INTERNATIONAL HEALTH YOUTH INTERNSHIPS: APPLICATION DEADLINE IS
MARCH 31!

The deadline for the first round of NetCorps Internship recruitment is
March 31!  The job descriptions for these internships, which are
technical in nature, can be found at:
http://www.csih.org/what/Internships/currintern.htm.  However, CSIH
hopes to receive additional non-technical internships later in the year.
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WORLD HEALTH DAY, APRIL 7 - THEME: HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN

The theme for World Health Day on April 7 is "Healthy Environments for
Children."  In Ottawa, the Canadian Society for International Health on
behalf of PAHO will be collaborating with the Canadian Institute of
Child Health, Health Canada and Environment Canada in organizing a
workshop on Children's Health and the Environment.  More than 70
non-government organizations have been invited.  Contact
[log in to unmask] for more information.  We encourage groups and
organizations to mark World Healthy Day by organizing activities in
their communities.
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DFAIT CREATES WEBPAGE AND TOLL-FREE NUMBER FOR INFORMATION AND COMMENTS
ON CRISIS IN IRAQ

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has
implemented a toll-free telephone line to provide information to
Canadians, as well as to accept comments, on the Government of Canada's
position regarding the crisis in Iraq.  Canadians may also submit their
comments to the Prime Minister.

General enquiries and comments:
Iraq enquiry line
Toll-free: (866) 880-4378 (8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Eastern time)
Tel.: (613) 944-0245 (Ottawa) (8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Eastern time)
website: http://www.iraqcrisis.gc.ca

Prime Minister's Executive Correspondence Unit
Tel.: (613) 941-6888 (Ottawa) (8: 30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Eastern time)
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
website: http://www.pm.gc.ca
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CANADA COMMITTED TO WORLDWIDE FIGHT AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS

On World TB Day on March 24, 2003, Minister for International
Cooperation Susan Whelan announced the signing of two new Stop TB
Partnership agreements, as well as additional funding of $2.4 million
for an initiative which will support efforts to control tuberculosis in
India.  Through the STOP TB Partnership, CIDA will provide $6 million to
the Global TB Drug Facility which is an international organization set
up to help poor countries access high-quality, low-cost drugs for use in
Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS) programs. DOTS is the
most cost-effective, internationally recommended control strategy for
the detection and treatment of TB. For the full press release, visit:
http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cida_ind.nsf/dccfe1952450f552852568db00555b47
/b0691028deeb10ac85256cf3004b0b7a?OpenDocument.
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WHO DIRECTOR GENERAL ADDRESSES UN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Addressing the 59th Human Rights Commission, WHO Director General Dr Gro
Brundtland appealed for the protection and assistance of Iraq's most
vulnerable citizens. The Director-General noted that health as a human
right had been neglected in the past and that WHO is committed to
furthering its human rights activities and continues to support its
Member States in advancing this fundamental human right. The speech is
available at:
http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2003/commissionhumanrights/en/.
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MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES: HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS IN THE WAR IN IRAQ

Médecins sans frontières (MSF) does not take a position for or against
war. But as the military assault escalates in Iraq, MSF has several
profound concerns: the conduct of war and the avoidance of human
suffering, the right of civilians to seek refuge in safe areas, the
right for independent humanitarian organizations to access populations
in need, and the diversion of attention and assistance from other urgent
humanitarian needs around the world. For the full article, visit:
http://www.msf.ca/.
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NEW PUBLICATION: HARMONIZING DONOR PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE AID DELIVERY

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has
posted a notice of its new publication "Harmonizing Donor Practices for
Effective Aid Delivery" on the Equidad listserver.  OECD argues that
"the management of different donor procedures bears a high cost for
developing countries - especially the poorest and most aid dependent.
For example, meeting multiple donor requirements employs a significant
proportion of developing countries' administrative capacity; it impairs
ownership over partners' own development plans and weakens capacity for
effective public management."  An advance copy of this document is
available in PDF format at:
http://www.oecd.org/pdf/M00038000/M00038991.pdf.
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WHO RELEASES NEW TOOL TO DETECT SUBSTANDARD AND COUNTERFEIT MEDICINES

To improve the quality and efficacy of medicines, facilitate control of
counterfeit and substandard drugs and address problems of drug
resistance, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new
edition of the International Pharmacopoeia (IntPh).  This edition
provides specifications for the content, purity and quality of active
ingredients and pharmaceutical products according to internationally
approved standards. While a practical tool for all settings, it is aimed
especially at those countries where national regulatory authorities
(bodies charged with assuring the quality and safety of medicines) may
not have enough funds or staff to function effectively. For further
details, visit: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/releases/2003/pr24/en/
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PROFILE OF A HIGHLY DECENTRALIZED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM: BOSNIA AND
HERZEGOVINA

After three years of armed conflict, the Dayton peace agreement and
efforts to rebuild the country, Bosnia and Herzegovina's health care
system is a case study of premature decentralization. The health systems
in transition profile (HiT) for Bosnia and Herzegovina describes how
this country – with an estimated population of 3.76 million and 13
health ministries representing 13 independent health care systems – is
rising to the challenges of service delivery and health finance pooling.
To read this profile, visit: http://www.who.dk/.
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JOB OPPORTUNITY: FIELD MANAGER AND SURVEILLANCE SUPPORT TEAM LEADER,
CANADA-PAKISTAN HIV/AIDS SURVEILLANCE PROJECT

Agriteam Canada is beginning implementation of the CIDA Canada-Pakistan
HIV/AIDS Surveillance Project and is seeking to appoint a full-time
Field Manager. The individual will be based in Islamabad, working in
close collaboration with the government’s National AIDS Control Program
and Provincial AIDS Control Programs toward the establishment and
effective operation of a national system of HIV/AIDS surveillance that
incorporates both behavioural and biological data. The application
deadline is April 20, 2003.  For more information and a full job
description, contact:

Morag Humble, Project Director
Agriteam Canada Consulting Ltd.
116 Promenade du Portage,
Gatineau, Quebec, J8X 2K1
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel:    (819) 777-2494
Fax:    (819) 724-2879
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