Open in Browser     Swiss TPH News, October 2023   Improving People's Health Through Stronger Systems   After an impressive 12-year journey of commitment to improving Tanzania’s health system, the Health Promotion and System Strengthening (HPSS) project is coming to an end. Funded by SDC and implemented by Swiss TPH in collaboration with the Government of Tanzania, HPSS aimed to address health challenges and improve access to quality and affordable healthcare in all 26 regions of the country. The project introduced innovative solutions such as the improved Community Health Fund (iCHF), which provided affordable digital health insurance to vulnerable populations. HPSS also significantly strengthened the pharmaceutical sector, health technology management and health promotion, recognising the importance of community involvement for lasting improvements. » Read more     Scientists Apply Game Theory to End Rabies   An innovative study by Swiss TPH and partners applied game theory to tackle rabies and identified effective strategies for affected countries. The paper, published in Nature Communications, demonstrates that a more coordinated approach could end this fatal disease and result in major health, economic and social gains.   ARTICLE     New Model for Daily Pollen Exposure   High pollen concentrations trigger seasonal allergies and possibly severe health events. A new pollen exposure model developed by Swiss TPH researchers in collaboration with MeteoSwiss accurately estimates the daily pollen exposure and facilitates future research on respiratory and cardiovascular mortality in Switzerland.   PUBLICATION     Almost Everyone in Europe Is Breathing Toxic Air   An article by the Guardian reveals that 98% of Europeans breathe polluted air. An interactive map with data compiled by Swiss TPH and Utrecht University as part of the EU-funded EXPANSE project shows the most affected regions. The project addresses one of the most pertinent questions for urban planners, policy makers, and inhabitants in Europe: “How do we maximize health in a modern urban environment?”   ARTICLE     DNDi 2023 Project of the Year   The DNDi 2023 Project of the Year in pre-clinical research has been awarded to a team working on the early discovery of Chagas disease. Currently, only two drugs - discovered half a century ago - are available to treat the disease. DNDi and its partners, including Swiss TPH, have made significant progress in screening diverse compound libraries and identified novel chemical entities as new starting points to feed the early drug discovery pipeline for Chagas disease.   AWARD   8th Edition of the Field Malaria Course in Tanzania   Participants from 13 African countries successfully completed the four-week Field Malaria Course in Tanzania. Jointly organised by Swiss TPH, the Ifakara Health Institute and the Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme, the course aims to equip participants from malaria-endemic countries in Africa with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively control and eliminate malaria. » Watch the video • Jürg Utzinger » 30 Years of R&D Towards New Drugs for Tropical Diseases   • Nicolas Loizeau » The Swiss 5G Backpacker: Hiking Across Switzerland to Explore Electromagnetic Fields   • Nicole Probst-Hensch » Air Pollution Research at Swiss TPH and Its Impact on Policy   Project Updates   Genomic Epidemiology of TB, Malaria and Other Pathogens in Africa   The Pan-Africa network for genomic surveillance of poverty related diseases and emerging pathogens (PANGenS) is an EDCTP funded project that will use genomic epidemiology of tuberculosis, malaria and emerging and re-emerging pathogens in Africa to better understand disease etiology, dynamics of disease transmission and evolution of drug-resistant pathogens. The project is a collaboration between Swiss TPH, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the Forschungszentrum Borstel and others. » Read more   Reducing the Global Burden of NCDs   SDC’s Accessible Quality Healthcare (AQH) and Integrated Health Services (IHS) projects in Kosovo hosted a three-day International Symposium on NCDs in Kosovo, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Public Health. The aim was to share best practices, inspire Kosovo’s NCDs plan and generate sustainable action to address NCD challenges. Around 600 participants attended the event, including internationally renowned speakers. » Read more HIV/AIDS Prevention in Central Africa   Swiss TPH has been supporting OCEAC in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Central Africa for almost 20 years through a prevention project. Funded by KfW Development Bank, the project promotes social marketing of condoms, raises awareness, educates young people and combats the stigma of HIV/AIDS. Swiss TPH’s role as regional advisor to OCEAC has been extended for three years to further control the epidemic. » Read more BlockRabies App   Ensuring equitable access to health services and rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for underserved communities not only saves lives but also strengthens national health systems. However, PEP availability remains low in most local health systems and compliance with PEP is poor. The BlockRabies app aims to establish a sustainable vaccine chain for timely and complete vaccination of bite victims and reduction of vaccine waste. » Read more Public Health Conference in Ukraine   The Public Health System Recovery and Resilience (PHS R&R) project held a conference in Ukraine in October, addressing key public health issues including One Health in war times, human resources development, community programmes and emergency response. Funded by USAID and implemented by Pact, Swiss TPH and partners, the initiative aims to strengthen Ukraine's capacity to manage public health threats and provide essential health services in times of crisis. » Read more Study with Us   Health Care and Management: From Research to Implementation   Gain core skills to understand and address global health challenges that will enable you to excel as a public health professional in resource-constrained settings. You will benefit from engagement with experts from a range of fields, practical application and interactive training. The course can be taken full-time over 14 weeks or modularly over 2-3 years. » Apply by 31 December 2023   Economic Evaluation in Health Care   Gain the knowledge and skills to conduct economic evaluations in resource-limited health settings, guiding decision-making and resource allocation for maximum impact and value in the healthcare sector. » Apply by 1 January 2024   Organisational Behaviour & Transformational Management   Get ready to manage transformational processes in different health management settings, taking into account multicultural and diverse work contexts. » Apply by 8 January 2024   A Glimpse Into the Work of Our Students Around the World   Swiss TPH PhD students sent photos and videos of their work overseas, offering a sneak peek into their amazing achievements worldwide, covering different studies and locations. » Read more   Jennifer Keiser has been named an ASTMH Distinguished International Fellow in recognition of her research in the field of drug discovery and development for helminth infections. » Read more   Mirko Winkler has been Co-Head of the Department of Public Health at the University of Basel since 1 September. His research and teaching activities focus on the interactions between environmental change, social change, sustainable development and public health. » Read more   Upcoming Events   8 November 2023, online: SYSTAC Europe Webinar Series: Intersectional Systems Thinking to Strengthen the Response to Violence against Women » Register now   16 November 2023, Swiss TPH: Seminar by Fondation Botnar & Swiss TPH: Promoting the Mental Health of Young People » Register now   20–23 November 2023, Utrecht: ECTMIH 2023 - 13th European Congress on Global Health » Register now   24 November 2023, Novartis Pavillon: Kelly Chibale: Fostering Drug Discovery in Africa » Register now   Swiss TPH in the Media   • 3sat NANO: Mit Spürhunden gegen Tigermücken » TV   • World Economic Forum: Could perfume be our secret weapon in the war on mosquitoes? » Article   • SRF 4x4 Podcast: Fast alle Menschen in Europa atmen verschmutzte Luft: Was für Auswirkungen hat das auf uns? » Podcast   People of Swiss TPH   “My PhD will focus on the use and contribution of child mortality data to improve strategies that reduce child mortality in Mozambique,” said Amilcar Magaço, PhD student in epidemiology and public health. “I am looking forward to learning at Swiss TPH and implement my knowledge and skills after my studies to create sustainable impact in my home country." » Watch the video Latest Publications   • Katende B, Bresser M, Kamele M, Chere L, Tlahali M, Erhardt RM, et al. Impact of a multi-disease integrated screening and diagnostic model for COVID-19, TB, and HIV in Lesotho. PLOS Global Public Health » Read full article   • Raviglione MCB, Tediosi F, Villa S, Casamitjana N, Plasència A eds. Global health essentials. Springer Nature » Read full article       Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) Kreuzstrasse 2 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland communications@swisstph.ch Swiss TPH   Imprint | Data Privacy   If you do not wish to receive further newsletters, you can unsubscribe any time.