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  • Regional Workshop on Rotavirus and Diarrheal Disease

    On January 23-24, 2008 a Regional Workshop entitled “Rotavirus and Diarrheal Disease Control” was held in Tbilisi, Georgia. The workshop with 50 participants was sponsored by PATH and hosted by Curatio International Foundation.

    The workshop brought together representatives from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EE/CA) countries, WHO, UNICEF, GAVI experts with aim to share the current evidence, and determine the level of interest, main needs/key priorities and concerns of the stakeholders. Several countries in EE/CA struggle with high rates of diarrheal disease (DD) morbidity and mortality.
    among young children. The new interventions such as rotavirus vaccines, zinc treatment, and lowosmolarity oral rehydration solution (ORS), complement existing approaches and contribute significantly to meaningful reductions in morbidity and mortality in many countries. Introduction of these new interventions is hampered by a lack of awareness and diminished prioritization for diarrheal disease. Participants from the following eight countries of EE/CA region attended the workshop: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.Participants included leaders, representatives of various sectors involved in child health care, infectious disease surveillance and control, and immunization, including: officials from the Ministries of Health, public health officials, academicians in the fields of pediatrics and infectious diseases, local pharmaceutical companies, experts from donor organizations.

    Konstantine (Koka) Pruidze, Deputy Minister, (MoLHSA Georgia) Dr. John Wecker (PATH), and Dr. Ketevan Chkhatarashvili (CIF). The key presentations on an integrated strategy of DD control, child morbidity/mortality situation in the region with focus on DD, the current evidences regarding new control interventions including rotavirus vaccines, the rotavirus surveillance findings in the region and updates in the GAVI application process were made by Dr. John Wecker (PATH), Dr. Sanjiv Kumar (UNICEF), Dr. Liudmila Mosina (WHO), Dr. Robin Biellik (PATH), Dr. Ivone Rizzo (GAVI Alliance).
    Representatives from each participating country presented information on the burden of DD in their countries, discussed existing control strategies and needs for their strengthening.

    Georgia in addition presented key messages of the National Strategic Plan developed by the experts group under the leadership of PATH and CIF. Priority areas, needs for improvement were identified during the workshop.

  • National Avian Influenza Surveillance Guidelines

    In 2007 two editions of the guideline were published within the framework of the project Strengthening Surveillance, IEC and Procurement Planning to address Avian Influenza in Georgia. The guidelines provide comprehensive recommendations addressed to the Georgian health system workers on how to promptly identify report, confirm, and classify potential cases of avian influenza in humans; analyze data; investigate and respond to the cases and outbreaks; improve other aspects of early warning system for humans. These guidelines are the most appropriate for the current and the next stages of pandemic preparedness (phases 3 to 4 of the World Health Organization [WHO] Pandemic Alert Period) and are designed primarily for health personnel working at the regional public health centers. In addition to general recommendations, the guidelines include specific sections devoted to the communication with the public infection control in health facilities.

  • Dr. George Gotsadze – CIF director and PATH board member presented “Hope for health in a weakened nation”

    Dr. George Gotsadze, Director of the Curatio International Foundation was invited to present findings at PATH about the human health story of the dissolution of Soviet Union, the political and socio-economic transition that has challenged a weak health care system, and the efforts to overcome these obstacles. The event took place at PATH headquarters, Seattle, USA, December 10, 2007.

    See presentation.

  • Natia Rukhadze – CIF Researcher at the Global HIV/AIDS Initiatives Network (GHIN) international workshop in Dublin, Ireland

    Natia Rukhadze, presented preliminary research findings of the study “Effects of GFATM on Georgia’s Health System Development” to the global stakeholders. The selected topic for the presentation was “Sustainability of GFATM program supported activities in Georgia”.

    The workshop, which was held from 19-23 November 2007 was organized by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and hosted by the RCSI in Dublin.

    GHIN is a network of researchers in 21 countries who are working together to explore the influence of global health initiatives for HIV/AIDS on countries health systems. GHIN is co-funded by Irish Aid (Irish Dept of foreign affaires) and DANIDA (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affaires).

    The five day Dublin workshop brought together representatives of 15 research teams conducting studies in 15 countries receiving global health initiative funding for HIV/AIDS control. The workshop also included the coordinating teams based at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, as well as researchers from four other northern institutions.

    One day of the workshop (Thursday) included global stakeholders, and was hosted by Irish Aid. Stakeholders included representatives from the bilateral donors (Irish Aid, DANIDA, DFID and USAID), the World Bank, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, PEPFAR, UNAIDS, WHO and civil society organizations (Open Society Institute and Centre for Global Development). The one-day meeting with stakeholders had the following objectives: a) to disseminate preliminary findings from the first phase of research to stakeholders and colleagues; b) to debate the policy implications of preliminary findings and the needs of stakeholders in relation to 2008 research priorities, advocacy and dissemination.

  • George Gotsadze – CIF director at fifth Global NHA symposium in Lund, Sweden

    Dr. George Gotsadze has participated in the fifth Global NHA symposium hosted in Lund, Sweden. July 8-11, 2007

    The Fifth Global NHA symposium was a two-day workshop, arranged by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics (IHE) in collaboration with the Swedish international development cooperation agency (Sida) and the United States agency for international development (USAID). The program included training and information sessions regarding the production of NHA as well as benefits and policy implications of using the tool to inform policy processes and evaluate results of reforms.

    Dr. Gotsadze presented findings on Status of NHA Development and use in CIS Region: Achievements and Challenges, which aimed at providing update on the status of NHA implementation in CIS region and at raising key issues that pose challenges to the countries and country teams.

    Learn more on health economics and view the congress agenda.

  • Yale University Announced Selection of Leading Georgian Public Health Expert, Ketevan Chkhatarashvili, as a 2007 Yale World Fellow Yale University announced the selection of the leading Georgian health policy advisor, Ketevan Chkhatarashvili, the preside

    Yale University announced the selection of the leading Georgian health policy advisor, Ketevan Chkhatarashvili, the president of Curatio International Foundation, an organization which is a pioneer of health care reform throughout the Caucasus, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa, as a 2007 Yale World Fellow.

    The Yale World Fellows Program represents a unique initiative among U.S. universities and a core element of Yale’s commitment to be a leading global university. Aiming to build a worldwide network of emerging leaders and to broaden international understanding, the Program conducts a competition each year to select 18 highly accomplished early mid-career men and women from government, business, the media, and civil society organizations representing countries across the world for a 4-month leadership program at Yale. The Yale World Fellows Program has at its core three main goals: to provide advanced global leadership training to emerging leaders from a diverse set of fields and countries, to link these world leaders to each other and to Yale in a tangible way and to expand and deepen international understanding at Yale. The Program selection process is intense: the 18 World Fellows for 2007 were selected from a pool of 970 applicants from around the world. From August to December, the 2007 World Fellows will engage in a specially designed seminar taught by some of Yale’s most eminent faculty; take any of the 3,000 courses offered at the University; participate in weekly dinners with distinguished guest speakers; receive individualized skill-building training; and meet with U.S. and foreign leaders. In addition, all World Fellows, both past and present, are invited to a biennial Return to Yale Forum, where past and current Fellows meet to build a global network of world leaders as well as renew their ties to Yale. The next Forum will take place October 24–27, 2007.

    Yale University is located in historic New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1701, the University consists of 12 schools: Yale College, the four-year undergraduate school; the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; and 10 professional schools, including the Yale School of Medicine, the Yale Law School, and the Yale School of Music. Yale has a global reputation for training U.S. and world leaders – including four of the last six U.S. presidents.

  • Introductory Workshop on National Health Accounts in Azerbaijan

    Dr. George Gotsadze, Director of Curatio International Foundation, traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan during May 16-18, 2007. Dr. Gotsadze was invited within the frame of Primary Health Care (PHC) Strengthening Project in Azerbaijan to contribute to the introductory workshop on National Health Accounts (NHA) organized for the national team in Azerbaijan.

    Dr. Gotsadze gave presentation on using NHA data for informing the national policy making process and presented the Georgian experience on introduction and institutionalization of NHA.

    See the presentation 1.
    See the presentation 2.

  • Armenia Visit Report

    CIF consultant, Ketevan Goguadze in April 1-7, 2007 traveled to Armenia. The major purpose of the visit was to provide technical support to the Armenian national working group in order to estimate the costs of the current immunization program; evaluate the financing of the current programme; project resource for the future requirements and financing levels and patterns over the cMYP time period; estimate financing gaps, prepare alternative scenarios of cMYP costing and financing components to reduce the funding gaps and identify the strategies for the improvement of financial sustainability.

  • Protocol of the Policy Club on the Public Health Organizational Development

    On February 23, 2007 the policy club has been organized within the framework of CoReform Project with the aim to discuss organizational arrangement of the Public Health at local level. It has brought together Deputy Ministers MOLHSA, representatives of Sector Policy Planning Department, Head of the Regulatory Department, Head of the Health Care Department, Director of the National Centre for Disease Control and Medical Statistics, Head of the Public Health Department, Head of the Juridical Department, State Minister Office of Reform Coordination, CoReform Project, Curatio International Foundation representatives, etc. CIF represented by Ivdity Chikovani had presented resources required for effective functioning of public health at the local level. This includes the following activities: immunization, supervision, surveillance and control, routine collection of statistical data and analysis, malaria control measures.

    See Georgian version of the presentation.

  • Ukraine Mission Report

    CIF consultant George Gotsadze was invited by the country office of UNAIDS Ukraine to support the reconstruction of the management component of the Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Control Project, financed with the loan proceeds from the World Bank. The project has been suspended by the World Bank since April 2006 due to the slow implementation of the project. Three conditions were recommended by the World Bank to the Government for the continuation of the project. The Government had met required conditions and the suspension placed on the project was effectively lifted. Restructuring the project management and developing detailed implementation plan for the period December 2006-June 2007 were two conditions out of three for the Government of Ukraine to tackle with the help of the consultant.