The current activities of the working group include promotion of Community-Based Primary Health Care (CBPHC) through regular meetings, a regular list server, its own website, and networking amongst members; a World Health Organization (WHO) funded project researching the evidence base supporting CBPHC; and administration of grants promoting CBPHC-related activities such as the current grant from the Colgate Palmolive company for supporting research related to behavioral hygiene practices.
The Working Group currently meets twice a year -- once at the time of the American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting and another at the Global Health Council annual meeting (end-May/early-June).
The Working Group sponsors a workshop on practical aspects of CBPHC (for novices and experienced), on the day prior to the opening of the APHA annual meeting (usually on a Saturday in November), and it provides time for discussion and networking among those who attend (including an informal dinner after the workshop).
Between these meetings members keep in contact by subscribing to a regular list server (join on the website or email henry@future.org) and personal networking by email.
Our website can be reached through the International Health Section of the APHA website (www.apha-ih.org). Click on "Community-Based Primary Health Care" on the left of the home page near the bottom. At this website you will find announcements about future workshops; statements about our purposes, activities and history; PowerPoint and text presentations illustrating contents of our most recent workshops; copies of our most recent list server messages and reports on recent group meetings; and a list of training materials and documents about community-based primary health care.
The website, list server and the list of training materials are dynamic in nature. All those who are interested are encouraged to comment on contents of the website including the list of training materials and to keep in touch with the Working Group through subscription to the list server and by email. Please let us know what experience you have with the materials presented and make suggestions for improvement. We are particularly interested to hear about presentations we could put on the site or additional training materials in relationship to CBPHC that you think we may all benefit from.
The World Health Organization has awarded a small grant to our Working Group to investigate the evidence base supporting CBPHC. This grant was only recently awarded after a thorough application process. An expert committee of world leaders in our field is to be formed to guide this evidence-based research. Additional workers willing to help with this large task are encouraged to approach the co-chairs. As the literature in this area is diffuse, we are interested to receive or hear about any studies - whether descriptive only or more advanced and whether previously published or not that - we could include in this review.
The Colgate Palmolive grants, totaling $30,000, will be awarded at the 2005 American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting. The grants are to be awarded on a competitive basis based on review of proposals by an expert committee. The applicants are young investigators doing original research in developing countries on improving personal hygiene.
For further information, contact:
· Dr Henry Perry, Co-Chair (henry@future.org)
Future Generations, Franklin, West Virginia
· Dr Paul Freeman, Co-Chair (freeman.p.a@worldnet.att.net)
Independent consultant, Seattle, Washington
· Ms Connie Gates, Secretary (connie@jamkhed.org)
Jamkhed International Foundation, Carrboro, North
Carolina