MSF Scientific Day 2010

The MSF Scientific Day was held on Friday, 2nd July 2010 at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Agenda:

8.30 - 9.30   Registration and coffee

9.30 - 9.40   Welcome: Marc Dubois, Executive Director, MSF-UK

9.40 - 11.10 Session 1: Outbreaks and emergencies

Chair:   Francesco Checchi, lecturer, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK

One of the core aspects of MSF’s work providing care for vulnerable populations in emergency situations. This session highlights some of MSF’s recent responses, as well as reflecting on how to improve them.

• Descriptive spatial analysis of the cholera epidemic 2008–2009 in Harare, Zimbabwe: a secondary data analysis Henry Gray, MSF

• Review of intersectional cholera response: Zimbabwe 2008–2009 Kate Alberti, Epicentre

• Epidemiological evaluation and mathematical modelling of a hepatitis E outbreak in Northern Uganda Ruby Siddiqui, MSF

• Surgical response to Haiti earthquake: lessons learned in emergency response Kathryn Chu, MSF

11.10–11.40  Break

11.40–13.10  Session 2: There’s more to HIV than handing out the pills

Chair:   Edward Mills, Canada Research Chair in Global Health, University of Ottawa, Canada

There are a great many issues that need to be considered when treating people living with HIV/AIDS. Challenges such as access and health-seeking behaviour can affect the success of any intervention. This session covers some of the complexities of delivering effective HIV treatment in resource-limited settings.

• A retrospective analysis of cost and cost-effectiveness of switching from stavudine or zidovudine to a tenofovir-based first-line regimen for HIV treatment in rural Lesotho
  Guillaume Jouquet, MSF

• Comparison of integrated and vertical antiretroviral treatment programme outcomes in nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa Jane Greig, MSF

• Distribution of antiretroviral therapy through self-forming groups of people living with HIV, Tete Province, Mozambique Tom Decroo, MSF

13.00–14.00  Lunch

14.00–15.45  Session 3: Beyond health facilities

Chair:   Ross Upshur, director, University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics, Canada

Keynote speech: The Ethics Review Board’s perspective on MSF research
Doris Schopper, MSF Ethics Review Board

Despite efforts, many vulnerable populations do not benefit from health programmes because patients are in hard-to-reach settings, do not present for treatment, or cannot be followed up. This session explores possibilities of how to reach patients and improve outcome.

• Investigating the gap between use of antenatal and delivery services in northern Uganda,
  Erin Anastasi MSF and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

• Treating pneumonia in hard-to-access populations: mobile clinics or community-based care? Catherine Pitt London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

• Long term mortality and nutritional status following severe acute malnutrition: a longitudinal cohort study Marko Kerac, UCL

15.45–16.15  Break

16.15–17.45  Session 4: Improving detection and treatment

Chair:   Leslie Shanks, medical director, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Improving surveillance and treatment of neglected populations are crucial if we are to maximise the impact of medical services. This session looks at some of the areas where we could potentially improve identification of cases and provide more effective treatment.

• Drug combinations for short-course treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in India, Farrokh Modabber, DNDi

• A new method for assessing acute malnutrition in moving populations: report of field tests in Mali 2008 and Ethiopia 2010 Anne-Marie Mayer, Action Against Hunger

• A sleeping sickness awakens? Description of a human African trypanosomiasis hotspot in a remote area of Central African Republic Joannie Roy, MSF

• A decentralised, patient-centred model of care for drug-resistant tuberculosis in a high HIV prevalence setting Nathan Ford, MSF

17.45–18.00  Closing remarks: Emmanuel Baron, director, Epicentre

          18.00  Evening drinks 

We have been awarded six Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points by the Royal College of Physicians.

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at scientificday@london.msf.org.