African Science Academy Development Initiative

2009 Conference Agenda

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Fifth Annual Meeting of the African Science Academy Development Initiative (ASADI)
Improving Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Sub-Saharan Africa
November 9-11 2009

La Palm Royal Beach Hotel
Adae Kese Conference Room
Accra, Ghana

To assemble the best scientific talent to report on the latest key trends in maternal, newborn, and child health in sub-Saharan Africa
To raise awareness about the remaining maternal and child health challenges facing the region
To engage senior African policymakers and planners from around the region in dialogue on the above issues and to discuss new programmatic and possible policy directions
To raise awareness of the value of science generally in informing national development strategies and to highlight that much is already known about how to improve maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes
To explore the potential for African academies of science to provide additional support to national policy formation in this area
To support the general development of African academies of science

Monday, November 9: Opening Ceremony & Launch of Science in Action Publication

The "Science in Action: Saving the Lives of Africa's Mothers, Newborns, and Children" publication discusses what is known about the key interventions for improving maternal, newborn, and child health in Africa. The publication was developed by representatives from seven African science academies and a team of more than 60 experts they assembled.

4:30-6pm
Press Conference

6-6:45pm
Welcome/Introductions/Other Remarks Reginald Fraser Amonoo, PhD, FGA; President, Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Ghana Jo Ivey Boufford, MD; Foreign Secretary, Institute of Medicine of the US National Academies Elias K. Sory, MD; Director General, Ghana Health Service

6:45-7:15pm
Messages from Major Stakeholders

US National Academy of Sciences
Ralph Cicerone, MS, PhD; President

Kofi Annan Foundation
Kofi Annan, President and Former UN Secretary General

Royal Society, UK
Lord Rees of Ludlow, OM; President

German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
Volker ter Meulen, MD, PhD; President

US Institute of Medicine
Harvey Fineberg, MD, PhD; President

GAVI Alliance
Mary Robinson, Chair; Former President of Ireland (1990-1997), and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002)

7:15-7:35pm
Keynote Address
Improving Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Sub-Saharan Africa: Time for Change
Tigest Ketsela Mengestu, MD; Division of Family and Reproductive Health, WHO Regional Office for Africa

7:35-7:45pm
Genesis of "Science in Action" Publication
Robin Crewe, PhD; Vice-Principal, University of Pretoria; President, Academy of Science of South Africa

7:45-8pm
Launch of "Science in Action" Publication
Fred T. Sai, MBBS, FRCPE, MPH, FGA; Reproductive Health Consultant, Ghana

8-9pm
Cocktail Reception – Ocean Terrace

Scientific Sessions officially commence on November 10, 2009

Tuesday, November 10

8:00-8:45am
Registration and Coffee

8:45-10:30 am
SESSION 1:
STATUS OF MATERNAL, NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA & ROLE OF AFRICAN SCIENCE ACADEMIES
Chair: Fred T. Sai, MBBS, FRCPE, MPH, FGA; Reproductive Health Consultant, Ghana

8:50-9:05 How Science Academies Provide Evidence-Based Advice
Patrick Kelley, MD, DrPH; Director, Board on African Science Academy Development, US National Academies

9:05-9:45am Status of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in Sub-Saharan Africa
Joy Lawn, BS, MPH, MRCP; Senior Research and Policy Advisor, Save the Children, South Africa

9:45-10:05 Moving Science into Action: Estimate of Lives Saved
Robert Black, MD, MPH; Edgar Berman Professor; Chair of the Department of International Health; Director of the Institute for International Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA

10:05-10:30 General Discussion

10:30-10:45am Break

10:45-11:35am SESSION 2: ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION Evidence-Based Scientific Advice on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health: An African Policymaker’s Perspective on What is Needed

Moderator: Ivan Addae-Mensah, PhD, FGA; Former Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana

Panelists—Policymakers representing ASADI partner countries
Aboubakry Sy, MD; Technical Advisor for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health, Ministry of Health, Senegal
Angwafo III Fru Fobushi, MD; Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health, Cameroon
B. M. Goqwana, MD, MP; Chairperson, Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health, South Africa
Charles Ngabirano, MD; Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Science and Technology, Uganda
Judith Bwonya, MD; Senator of Adamawa Central, Nigeria Director of Medical Services, Kenya
Jubril Aminu, MD; Senator for Adamawa Central, Nigeria
Mustapha Ahmed, MD, MP; Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, Ghana

11:30-1pm SESSION 3: CURRENT AND EMERGING KEY INTERVENTIONS IN MATERNAL HEALTH
Doubou Ba, PhD; Permanent Secretary, Senegal Academy of Science and Technology

11:40am-12 noon Maternal Health Interventions: Lessons from the IMMPACT Project
Wendy Graham, DPhil; Immpact Principal Investigator; Professor of Obstetric Epidemiology University of Aberdeen, UK

12-12:20pm Reducing Maternal Mortality: Africa/Asia Comparison
Ayorinde Ajayi, MD, MPH; Vice-President, Field Programs, PATH, USA

12:20-12:40pm The Importance of Addressing Adolescent Reproductive Health Issues
Barthelemy Kuate Defo, PhD, MPH; Professor of Medical Demography & Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Canada

12:40-1pm General Discussion

1:00-2:00pm Lunch

2:00-3:30pm SESSION 4: CURRENT AND EMERGING KEY INTERVENTIONS IN NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH
Dominic W. Makawiti, BSc, MSc, PhD, CBiol, MIBiol, Chair; Executive Member, Kenya National Academy of Sciences

2:05-2:25pm Newborn Health Packages,
Kate Kerber, MPH; Save the Children, South Africa

2:25-2:45pm Evaluation of Accelerated Child Survival Programs in Sub-Saharan Africa
Jennifer Bryce, MS, Med, EdD; Senior Scientist, Institute for International Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA

2:45-3:05pm Nutritional Requirements for Small Children
Matthias Brandis, MD; Senator, Gynaecology and Paediatrics Sector, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina

3:05-3:30pm General Discussion

3:30-3:45pm Break

3:45-5:15pm SESSION 5: AFRICAN SCIENCE ACADEMIES IN ACTION: RECENT ACTIVITIES, PROCESSES, FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND FOLLOW-UPS
Roseanne Diab, PhD, Chair; Executive Officer, Academy of Science of South Africa

3:50-4:10pm Malaria; Prevention, Control: An Example of Uganda National Academy of Sciences in Action
James Tibenderana, MB ChB, MPhil, PhD; Director, Malaria Research Centre, Uganda; Chair, Committee on Assessing Malaria Vector Resistance to Insecticides Used For Indoor Residual Spraying In Uganda, Uganda National Academy of Sciences
4:10-4:30pm HIV/AIDS, TB and Nutrition: Special Considerations of Infancy and Childhood; Findings from the Academy of Science of South Africa Report and its Impact on Policy
Robin Crewe, PhD; Vice-Principal, University of Pretoria; President, Academy of Science of South Africa
4:30-4:50pm How the Nigerian Academy of Sciences’ Forum on Evidence-Based Medicine is Informing National Policy in Nigeria Akin Osibogun, MB ChB, MPH; Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital; Member, Forum on Evidence Based Health Policymaking, Nigerian Academy of Sciences

4:50-5:15pm General Discussion: Identifying Appropriate Advisory Models for Science Academies in Africa

5:15-6:15pm End of Plenary Session/ Poster Exhibition Opportunity to view current research conducted by organizations and individuals in the field of maternal, newborn, and child health.

6:15pm Adjourn

Wednesday, November 11

8:55-10:25am SESSION 6: HEALTH SYSTEMS
Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, BSc, PhD, Chair;
President, Nigerian Academy of Science

9:00-9:20am Healthcare Systems and Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Sub-Saharan Africa Joanne Greenfield; Chief of Health, UNICEF Ghana

9:20-9:40am The Health Workforce in Sub-Saharan Africa
9:40-10:00am Healthcare Financing in Sub-Saharan Africa Chris Atim, PhD, MA; African Health Economics and Policy Association , World Bank, Senegal

10:00-10:25am
General Discussion

10:25-10:40am
Break

10:40-12:30pm
SESSION 7: IMPROVING HEALTHCARE: STRATEGIES TO REDUCE MATERNAL, NEWBORN, AND CHILD HEALTH CHALLENGES
Paul Mugambi, PhD, Chair; President, Uganda National Academy of Science

10:45-11:05am Community-Based Strategies to Reduce Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Challenges Nana A. Y. Twum-Danso, MD, MPH; Director, Project Fives Alive! Accra, Ghana

11:05-11:25am Improving Access to Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care E. Yao Kwawukume, MB ChB, FWACS, FICS; Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences; Chief Executive Officer, Women’s Health Foundation, Ghana

11:25-11:45am Care of Low-Birth Weight Babies/Intensive Neonatal Care Aggrey Wasunna, MMed; Consultant Neonatologist, Associate Professor; Chairman, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health University of Nairobi, Kenya

11:45-12:05pm Progress in Vaccinations Francis K. Nkrumah, MD, MPH, PhD, FGA; Professor Emeritus; Former Director, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Ghana

12:05-12:30pm
General Discussion

12:30-1:30pm Lunch

1:30-3pm
SESSION 8: HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Mohamed Hassan, Executive Director, The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World; President, African Academy of Sciences, Nairobi, Kenya

1:35-1:55pm Current State of Health Information Systems Sally Stansfield, MD; Executive Director, Health Metrics Network, WHO, Switzerland

1:55-2:15pm Longitudinal Systems to Measure Progress in MDG 4 and MDG 5 Ayaga Bawah, PhD; Principal Research Associate; Deputy Executive Director, INDEPTH Network, Ghana

2:15-2:45pm
General Discussion

2:45-3:05pm Break

3:05-4:20 SESSION 9: ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: DEVELOPING AND APPLYING NEW KNOWLEDGE:
KEY CHALLENGES AND NEXT STEPS FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES - Donors; Practitioners; Policymakers; Science Academies

Moderator:
Joanne Greenfield;
Chief of Health, UNICEF Ghana

Panelists:
Robert John Leke, FCAS; Professor of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Cameroon Academy of Science

Daniel A. Singer MD, MPH, FACP; Associate Director for Global Health Research and International Activities, National Institutes of Health

Patrick Amuriat Oboi, Hon., BSC, PGDE; Member of Parliament, Uganda

Fred T. Sai, MBBS, FRCPE, MPH, FGA; Former President, Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences

Jutta Schnitzer-Ungefug, PhD; Secretary General, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina

Pauline Beattie, Welcome Trust, UK

4:20-4:30pm
Closing Remarks/Handing over to the Academy of Science of South Africa, Host for ASADI VI in 2010

Reginald Fraser Amonoo, PhD, FGA
President, Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Ghana

Robin Crewe, PhD
Vice-Principal, University of Pretoria; President, Academy of Science of South Africa

Join us in South Africa for the Sixth Annual International Conference of ASADI