We share the insights from a successful collaboration in organizing and implementing an international scientific capacity-building workshop in Malaysia titled Mathematical Modelling of Neglected Infectious Diseases: Capacity Building in Southeast Asia. This workshop focused on the delivery of technical know-how and on essential soft skills related to effective grant proposal writing and networking.
Accurate and reliable diagnostic tools are an essential requirement for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) programmes. However, the NTD community has historically underinvested in the development and improvement of diagnostic tools, potentially undermining the successes achieved over the last 2 decades. Recognizing this, the WHO, in its newly released draft roadmap for NTD 2021-2030, has identified diagnostics as one of four priority areas requiring concerted action to reach the 2030 targets. As a result, WHO established a Diagnostics Technical Advisory Group (DTAG) to serve as the collaborative mechanism to drive progress in this area. Here, the purpose and role of the DTAG are described in the context of the challenges facing NTD programmes.
The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is a chartered international organization for the promotion of regional cooperation in education, science, technology and culture. The Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network (TROPMED) operates through four specialized Centers in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, with a coordinating unit, the TROPMED Central Office in Bangkok, Thailand. In line with the overall mission of SEAMEO, the role of TROPMED is to promote health and to prevent or control disease, thus improving the quality of life of people in the Asia-Pacific Region. Toward this end, SEAMEO TROPMED serves to facilitate the strengthening of national and institutional capabilities in research and training through postgraduate academic programs; short-term training courses; scientific fora; publications and information dissemination and as such, has been in the mainstream of health human resources development since its inception in 1967. To date, a total of 3,353 TROPMED alumni have benefited from training in 26 regular course offerings; of these, 1,596 were females and 1,757, males. From 1991 to 1995, a total of 434 key health personnel have attended short-term training courses, with increasing attendance from Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam. TROPMED's effectiveness comes from the collective strength of and the spirit of cooperation among its host institutions and partners. Faced with a health scenario of both developing and developed economies, SEAMEO TROPMED aims to further its role as an international forum for health development thus, addressing the need for effective strategies for health sector reform and advocacy of relevant health, environmental and development policies through its various programs and activities.
In the present study on the life-cycle of Blomia tropicalis, freshly laid eggs were observed until they developed into adults; the development periods between stages were recorded. The eggs took an average of 22.9 +/- 6.4 days to develop to adults. For longevity experiments, newly emerged adults were kept at 25 degrees C and observed until they died. There was no significant difference in longevities of the different sexes (p = 0.053). Production of eggs by mated females were monitored until egg production stopped and the female died. Mated females and males survived an average of 32.2 +/- 15.4 and 30.9 +/- 17.7 days respectively. The difference in longevity of the mated females, and males was not significant (p = 0.747). Longevity of the mated females was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) shorter than unmated females.
This report highlights some of the educational aspects on nutrition and tropical diseases. Health conditions in most of the countries in this region has improved but not at the same pace as the progress in medical sciences. The slow progress in tackling this problem has been partly due to the failure of understanding psycho-social, cultural and economic patterns. Many of the health workers and educators who are involved in the control of tropical diseases emphasize on practice rather than research. Due emphasis should be given to training and research in health education involving not only the professionals and auxiliary staff but also political leaders, policy makers and community leaders at grassroot level.
Four cases of tropical myositis seen over a period of four months at the Penang General Hospital are reported here. All were young local residents in whom large amounts of pus were found deep within skeletal muscles without an obvious aetiological factor.