Synergy Online –October 9, 2003
http://www.csih.org/synergy/synergy.html
In this issue:
-WORLD FOOD DAY: OCTOBER 16, 2003
-BIODIVERSITY AND HEALTH: OCTOBER 25-28, 2003, OTTAWA, CANADA
-SLUM GROWTH ‘SHAMES THE WORLD’
-UNICEF LAUDS CANADA'S MOVE TO PRODUCE CHEAPER AIDS DRUGS FOR POOR
COUNTRIES
-MINISTER MCLELLAN AND HEALTH RESEARCH PARTNERS ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $30
MILLION FOR COLLABORATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH
-NEW ‘MEETING THE CHALLENGE’ PUBLICATION PACKAGE AVAILABLE
-CELEBRATE NATIONAL CHILD DAY AT THE CRAYONS & CRAVATS GALA!
-JOIN THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGISTRY!
–10TH CCIH: SIGN UP NOW!
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WORLD FOOD DAY: OCTOBER 16, 2003
Progress has been slow in efforts to reach the World Food Summit goal of
cutting by half the number of the world's chronically hungry and
undernourished people by 2015. This year's World Food Day theme,
International Alliance against Hunger, is a way to build greater
momentum to achieve the goals. The International Alliance will bring
together the strengths of: food producers and consumers, international
organizations, agribusiness firms, scientists, academics, donors,
policy-makers, private individuals, religious groups, non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) and all others committed to reducing the suffering
caused by hunger.  For more information, visit:
http://www.fao.org/wfd/index_en.asp
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BIODIVERSITY AND HEALTH: OCTOBER 25-28, 2003, OTTAWA, CANADA
The objective of the Biodiversity and Health symposium is to survey the
current knowledge of global medicinal resources, their value to human
health, the problems and opportunities implicated in their more
intensive and sustainable application, and to consolidate a policy
agenda for international cooperation. It will bring together
international representatives from academic and research institutions,
pharmaceutical companies, governments and Indigenous communities.  For
more information visit http://www.tc-biodiversity.org/biosymposium.htm
or contact Nina Edson, Program Coordinator, at
[log in to unmask]
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SLUM GROWTH ‘SHAMES THE WORLD’
The number of people living out their days in the squalor of a slum is
almost one billion – one-sixth of the world’s population – the United
Nations says.  Without radical changes, it believes, that number could
double in 30 years, and, by 2050, there may be 3.5 billion slumdwellers,
out of a total urban population of about six billion.  The report, The
Challenge of Slums: Global Report on Human Settlements, 2003, was
published on October 6, 2003, World Habitat Day. For more information,
visit: BBC news at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/3161812.stm or the UN
News Centre at
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=8447&Cr=habitat&Cr1=
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UNICEF LAUDS CANADA'S MOVE TO PRODUCE CHEAPER AIDS DRUGS FOR POOR
COUNTRIES
The chief of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today lauded
Canada's push to quickly enact legislation allowing makers of generic
medicines to export cheaper versions of patented HIV/AIDS drugs to poor
countries heavily impacted by the pandemic. "Like Canada, other
countries and players need to think much more creatively about steps
they can take to energize and politicize the global response to this
massive AIDS emergency," says UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy.
If the law passes, Canada would become the first of the eight most
industrialized countries to implement World Trade Organization (WTO)
agreements that allow heavily impacted countries to import
antiretrovirals at a preferential price provided they cannot produce the
drugs domestically and would not use them for commercial purposes,
according to UNICEF. "The decision will expand overall availability of
antiretrovirals in poor countries, and it will encourage competition;
this is good for people, and this is good for economies. It's a
path-breaking step in the fight against AIDS," Ms. Bellamy said. More
than half the 14,000 daily new HIV infections occur among people below
the age of 25, she said. For more information, visit:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=8403&Cr=hiv&Cr1=aids
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MINISTER MCLELLAN AND HEALTH RESEARCH PARTNERS ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $30
MILLION FOR COLLABORATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH
The Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Health, in collaboration with
health research partners and Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), today announced more than
$30 million to fund 23 health research projects across Canada through
the New Emerging Team (NET) grant program.  The NET program encourages
the creation of collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams that explore
today's pressing health research questions from a broad range of
perspectives. Projects will be funded through national partnerships
with: Alzheimer Society of Canada; Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan;
Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network; Heart and Stroke Foundation;
Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation; Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation;
and University of Saskatchewan. For more information, visit:
http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/news/18933.shtml
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NEW ‘MEETING THE CHALLENGE’ PUBLICATION PACKAGE AVAILABLE
The “Meeting the Challenge” package distributed by the Supply Initiative
is made up of 10 brochures and fact sheets and provides a comprehensive
overview of the reproductive health supplies crisis, as well as a
summary of how to use the materials in the package.  This reading was
compiled by the Interim Working Group on Reproductive Health Commodity
Security (IWG), a collaborative effort of John Snow, Inc. (JSI),
Population Action International (PAI), the Program for Appropriate
Technology in Health (PATH) and Wallace Global Fund.  Following the
success of the first edition, “Meeting the Challenge” has been
re-printed.  To order a hard copy, please contact [log in to unmask]; the
PDF versions are also available in the Supply Initiative’s resource
database at www.rhsupplies.org/resources/rdb.php
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CELEBRATE NATIONAL CHILD DAY AT THE CRAYONS & CRAVATS GALA!
The sixth annual Crayons & Cravats Gala will be held in Ottawa, Canada,
November 19 to celebrate National Child Day 2003. The gala will be
hosted by the Canadian Institute for Child Health (CICH) and will
present Canadian Olympian Silken Laumann with the 2003 National Child
Day award for her inspirational work with children.  Proceeds from the
Gala will provide support to the programs and strengthen the capacity of
CICH to identify trends and gaps in child health and well-being and to
act as a catalyst to address these needs.  For more information or
sponsorship opportunities, please contact Janice Sonnen at (613)
230-8838 ext. 223 or visit www.cich.ca/specialevents.html
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JOIN THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGISTRY!
Join the Canadian Society for International Health's on-line Canadian
International Health Registry! Professionals seeking employment and
volunteer opportunities in health and development can let CSIH's
contacts work for them.  At the request of potential employers
(organizations, institutions and private firms), CSIH carries out a
search of the directory for an expert with specific knowledge or skills.
Let us help you connect! http://209.87.224.165/csih-reg/eReg1.asp
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10TH CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL HEALTH: SIGN UP NOW!
The 10th Canadian Conference on International Health (CCIH) will be held
in Ottawa October 26-29, 2003.  The theme of this year's conference is
"The Right to Health: Influencing the Global Agenda.  How Research,
Advocacy and Action Can Shape Our Future."  Visit:
http://www.csih.org/what/conferences2003.html
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