The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in
collaboration with the Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), is pleased to announce the 2021 – 2022 call
for applications for the Joint PAHO/TDR Small Grant Scheme for operational
research to support the elimination of communicable diseases in the Latin
American and Caribbean Region.
This call aligns with the EI which promotes linkages and synergies
within the health system and with other sectors and uses a life course
approach, emphasizing primary health care (PHC) and leveraging well-established
PHC platforms. It seeks to achieve economies of scale; strengthen disease
surveillance and health information systems; boost integration of
quality-assured health services, health systems, and laboratory networks;
promote operational research and facilitate policies that favor the elimination
of the selected diseases, community mobilization, and health promotion efforts.
The focus for this call will be on the following
group of diseases and/or health conditions that represent a significant burden
and disproportionally affect the more vulnerable populations in the Region and
whose elimination is feasible using available and innovative technical means.
These are: trachoma, Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) of
Hepatis B virus and Chagas, schistosomiasis, soil transmitted helminthiasis
(STH) and tuberculosis.
Priority Research
Areas
- Trachoma:
- What are the facilitators and
barriers mediating the face-washing with soap and water throughout the
day, among children 1 to 9 years old in indigenous communities of the
Amazon basin of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru where trachoma is documented
as a public health problem? (PFII/2004/WS.1/3) (Indigenous communities
where there is evidence of trachoma as a public health problem according
to official information from the Ministries of Health of Brazil, Colombia
and Peru). What is the most reliable metric for measuring them? What
interventions should be implemented to increase facial cleanliness of
children in this context?
- Rapid assessments for trachoma
among rural communities in the Amazon basin of Ecuador and Bolivia to
provide information on the need or not to subsequently implement
population-based surveys (The Amazon region of Bolivia and Ecuador
according to official geographical information in both countries).
- Elimination of Mother-to-Child
Trasmission of Hepatitis B Virus and Chagas:
- Assessment of the epidemiology
and cascade of care and the coverage of interventions for
prevention/treatment of HBV and Chagas for pregnant women, mothers and
their children up to a definitive diagnosis and/or cure.
- Design, pilot and evaluate an
innovative model of care and service delivery in Mother-Child Health
including antenatal care that addresses EMTCT of hepatitis B and Chagas,
integrated with other diseases.
- Schistosomiasis and Soil
Transmitted Helminthiasis:
- When delivering deworming
drugs (as a public health intervention) for adolescent girls, women in
reproductive age and pregnant women (eligible), what are the most
effective strategies to achieve acceptance/compliance in populations
living in endemic geographic areas?
- Are snails still intermediate
hosts for schistosomiasis transmission in St. Lucia and what
malacological surveillance methods best answer this question?
- Tuberculosis:
- Pilot the introduction and
scale up of treating latent TB with the short regimen of rifapentine plus
isoniazid (3HP) and document the effectiveness and challenges of the
interventions used.
- Assess the increase in TB
diagnosis using rapid tests in population under 15 years of age.
Funding Information
- Financial support: A total of
five proposals for up to US$ 30 000 per grant will be funded. Co-funding
from domestic or other sources is encouraged.
- Study duration: 12-18 months
Eligibility Criteria
- Application must be complete
and be submitted before the deadline;
- Research proposed must be
conducted in Latin America and the Caribbean;
- Principal investigator must be
based in institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean, including
national tropical/communicable disease control program, ministries of
health, academic institutions, research institutes, national research
institutions; and non-governmental organizations;
- The research project proposed
in the application must relate to the objective and scope described in the
present call;
- Proposals submitted should
include a signed acknowledgement letter of the manager of the program area
or person in charge of the program that is related to the project at any
level of the public health/healthcare services (Primary Health Care Units,
Municipal Secretaries of Health, State Department of Health, or National
Ministry or Secretary of Health for example). The acknowledgement letter
does not mean there is need of clearance for the project, as no technical
assessment is needed at this level;
- Applications are encouraged
from everyone, irrespective of gender identity, sexual orientation,
ethnicity, religion or belief, cultural and social background and
(dis)ability.
Post Date - 17-Feb-2021