The 2008 MSF Scientific Day took place on 5 June at Glazier's Hall, London.
Click here for the agenda.
2008 Abstracts and Presentations
Abstracts and presentations from the day can be downloaded below. (Please note some presentations are not posted because they are under consideration for publication).
Session 1: Addressing under-nutrition
This session covers approaches to malnutrition in the context of a global food shortage and decreasing food security. Of particular importance to MSF nutritional programmes are strategies to address the specific food needs of children based on ready-to-use therapeutic food and the best means of assessing malnutrition in children under 5. Research also extends to adults, in particular the acceptability of ready-to-use food to malnourished HIV adults and community perceptions of nutritional programmes.
Seasonal hunger and opportunities to achieve the Millennium Development Goals
- Samuel Hauenstein Swan, Action Against Hunger UK
Identifying key factors underlying defaulting in MSF ambulatory therapeutic feeding programmes
- Saskia van der Kam, MSF
Introduction of the WHO Growth Standards: impact on the nutritional programme in Maradi, Niger
- Nael Lapidus, Epicentre, MSF
A qualitative investigation of Plumpynut consumption in adults enrolled in an MoH/MSF HIV programme in Kenya
- Andrew Seal, Institute of Child Health, UCL
Session 2: Diagnostic and quality contol in resource-limited settings
Diagnostic tools and laboratory assays form an essential part of MSF fieldwork. This session will cover issues that arise in the use of this technology in settings that are often unpredictable and difficult. This includes questions of quality control and developing diagnostic technologies that are easy to use and adaptable to local conditions.
Field evaluation of a rapid immunochromatographic assay for Trypanosoma cruzi infection using whole-blood in Sucre, Bolivia
- Paul Roddy, MSF
Evaluation of 3 rapid diagnostic tests for the detection of P. vivax and P. falciparum malaria in Myanmar
- Elizabeth Ashley, Epicentre, MSF
Viral load testing in resource-limited settings: the devil is in the detail. Experiences from Lagos, Nigeria
- Jane Greig, MSF
Laboratory quality control strategies in resource-constrained settings within MSF OCA programmes
- Daniel Orozco, MSF
Session 3: Challenges in managing infectious disease programmes
MSF teams confront infectious diseases such as TB and HIV in almost every context they work in. This session addresses fresh challenges, such as treating multidrug-resistant TB, as well as long-standing issues, such as improving treatment of kala azar and the use of potentially out-dated treatment regimens.
Tuberculosis treatment outcomes and resistance amplification in a high-prevalence multidrug-resistance region (Abkhasia, Georgia)
- Maryline Bonnet, MSF
Toxicity of stavudine- and nevirapine-containing antiretroviral treatment regimens: incidence and risk factors after three years in a large cohort in Rwanda
- Johan van Griensven, MSF
Efficacy and safety outcomes of Liposomal Amphotericin B (Ambisome)© treatment for Indian visceral leishmaniasis under routine programme conditions in Bihar, India
- Jitendra Gupta, MSF
Forecasting costs of scaling-up a HIV/AIDS programme, Epworth, Zimbabwe
- Jari Kivela, Qalys Health Ecomonics
Session 4: Addressing the needs of vulnerable populations
Certain health issues are presumed to be widespread, but don’t often appear on the agenda. This session covers the complexities of assessing and treating vulnerable and neglected populations, such as the mentally ill, people affected by sexual violence, and children in remote settings at risk of dying from malaria. We also look at a novel model for managing multidrug-resistant TB, often ignored because this disease is considered ‘too hard’ to treat.
Mental health assessment of adults and children attending an MSF outpatient clinic in Mogadishu, Somalia
- Kaz de Jong, MSF
Sexual violence programme modifications resulting from systematic data collection and periodic analyses, Monrovia, Liberia, 2005–2007
- Rebecca Singer, MSF
A decrease in mortality in the MSF catchment area in Sierra Leone between 2006 and 2007 – why?
- Sibylle Gerstl, MSF
A community-based model for MDR TB care, Khayelitsha, South Africa
- Eric Goemaere, MSF
The poster presentations
We also arranged for poster presentations to be displayed throughout the day. Abstracts available below:
OPEN ACCESS to MSF research
Tony reid also presented the new website for MSF field research.
All MSF-authored articles from peer-reviewed scientific journals are available for free in full PDF form. No login is required. This is a breakthrough for MSF, as previously closed publishers charged a fee to download articles. This site makes MSF research easily accessible for health workers, policy makers and researchers in developing countries. It will be continuously filled with the latest MSF research. Articles can be searched from within the site or by outside search engines such as Google and Yahoo.
Check it out at www.fieldresearch.msf.org
If you have further questions on Scientific Day 2008: scientificday@london.msf.org
Abstracts and Presentations from previous years
Abstracts and published articles relating to previous Scientific Days can be found through the following links:
Scientific Day 2007
Scientific Day 2006
Scientific Day 2005
Scientific Day 2004