Health research specialists are gathered in Zambia where they are conducting a seven day intensive course in operational research for 16 program management staff working in Tuberculosis and occupational health and safety in the Ministries of Health (MoH) of Zambia, Lesotho, Malawi and Mozambique, representing 4 from each country.
The participants in this intensive training are expected to begin developing proposals for operational research in readiness for implementation in their respective countries. The training program is being undertaken with close mentorship from East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC), NEPAD Agency, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and the University of Zambia (UNZA) School of Public Health (a WHO/TDR recognised training centre). The training contributes to the implementation of component II of the Southern Africa Tuberculosis and Health Systems Support (SATBHSS) project which aims at improving regional capacity for disease surveillance, diagnostics and management of Tuberculosis and occupational lung diseases.
The training is meant to better prepare the countries for implementation of Tuberculosis and occupational health and safety programs under the SATBHSS project and strengthen expertise in operational research at the local level. At the same time, the fusion of local and international expertise on the project provides an interesting opportunity to build regional capacity for conducting research in Tuberculosis and occupational lung diseases.
The aim of the SATBHSS project is to improve coverage and quality of key TB control and occupational lung disease services in targeted geographic areas of the participating countries and strengthen regional capacity to manage the burden of TB and occupational diseases in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
