E-drug: A Call to African and Bristish Health Scientists
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<<African Essential Pharmaceutical Care Project>>
We are a team of scientists based in the United States of America. We
are writing a grant proposal to conduct a study in at least four
African countries. Our goal is to survey the implementation of the
essential drug policies and to design, implement, and evaluate an
intervention program to improve the knowledge and use of essential
drugs as well as the provision of quality pharmaceutical care to all.
We need to include at least five more researchers in our team -- at
least one researcher from the United Kingdom and at least one
researcher from each of the four African countries to be studied --.
At this stage, our focus is on Africa in order to improve the
effectiveness of the essential drug policies in this continent.
However, depending on the availability of resources, we may expand our
project to other countries in Asia, Australia, and South America.
In the context of our African project, we plan to conduct a baseline
assessment of the situation (first year) in a number of hospitals and
health centers, develop and implement a three-year intervention
program, and complete an evaluation (fifth year) of the impact of that
intervention.
In order to link with Bristish and African partners, we are calling on
any colleagues who reside in the United Kingdom or in Africa to spread
the word among Bristish and African scientists so that any of them
with interest in this area can contact us as soon as possible,
preferably before December 20, 1998. Any interested individual should
forward his resume to us as soon as possible.
At this stage, it would be difficult to give any specifics on the
exact schedule, timing or amount of involvement. Our wish however is
to have a five-year project and employ at least one pharmacist and one
staff member on a full-time basis for at leat four years in each of
the four African countries. Our partners will be involved in all or
only in some parts of this study. While we have a clear sense of the
direction of our study, we still plan to closely involve the local
staff in the development and implementation of the intervention. We
wish to be partners with people who are hard-working, committed to the
ideal of quality pharmaceutical care for Africa.
Please circulate this message among other potential researchers to
generate any interest or inquiry. If you are interested in joining the
team or in identifying any other scientists/pharmacists from any
African countries, please do not hesitate to contact Dr Ngoyi Bukonda
whose address and telephone number are listed below. Even if we wish
to work in four specific countries, our final decision regarding the
selection of the research sites is contingent upon the funding, the
authorization from the various hospitals, health centers or ministries
of health of the targeted countries. Moreover, that decision is mostly
contingent upon the availability and resourcefulness of our African
partners. We are looking for scientists who are based in research
institutions and who are willing to pitch in any contribution at this
stage of the development of the full proposal to gain a sense of
ownership.
Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.
Ngoyi K. Zacharie Bukonda, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Assistant Professor of Public and Community Health
College of Health and Human Sciences
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL.
E-mail: nbukonda@niu.edu
Telephone: 815-753-4801
Fax: 815-753-0720
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