SAMRC RFA 02-2017 in Collaboration with the WHO

Request for Applications: Evaluation of Dissemination Methods for Updated WHO Guidelines on HIV and Infant Feeding

SAMRC RFA 02-2017 in collaboration with the WHO

Closing Date 10 March 2017

The SAMRC and WHO are inviting applications from investigators in South African universities, science councils and other public research organisationsto evaluate methods to effectively disseminate the updated WHO guidelines on HIV and Infant Feeding in South Africa.

Details

Discussions in 2016 on the previous WHO Guidelines on HIV and Infant Feeding (2010) specifically highlighted the challenge of disseminating the guidelines in such a way as to give health workers confidence to promote and support breastfeeding to women living with HIV, even when antiretroviral drugs are available. The updated guidelines were released in 2016 and the WHO would like to ensure maximum uptake and implementation in South Africa and beyond. The WHO is therefore collaborating with the SAMRC to seek, through this RFA, proposalsto identify effective methods for disseminating the WHO updated guidelines on HIV and infant feeding among health workers at primary health care facilities in South Africa.

Specific objectives include:

1. To assess the impact of novel dissemination approaches on the attitudes and practices of health workers at primary health care facilities in South Africa compared to routine dissemination approaches;
2. To report the experiences of mothers receiving care from primary health care workers including counselling on infant and young child feeding following different dissemination approaches of updated WHO guidelines on HIV and infant feeding;
3. To report lessons learned about the dissemination of WHO guidelines on HIV and infant feeding to health managers and policy makers in South Africa and, through publications, to the broader health community.

Only one application will be selected for funding and the funds will be disbursed by the WHO through a funding agreement with the host institution of the primary PI. Project budgets must therefore be provided in US$ up to a maximum total budget of $150,000 (all inclusive).

The funding available for the work is time limited and implementation of the study (i.e. expenditures but not necessarily analysis and publication of findings) needs to be concluded by 31 October 2017.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted using the SAMRC/WHO Proposal and Budget Templates by email to on or before 5 pm South African time on Friday 10 March 2016. The proposal must be submitted in Word or clean PDF format (PDF conversion from Word and NOT a scanned document) and the Budget should be submitted in Excel format. Only the signature page may be submitted separately as a scanned document. Annexures may be submitted separately or as part of the Proposal.

No late applications will be considered.

For further details, including on the eligibility and funding criteria and evaluation process, please see the Full RFA document.

Please direct any queries or requests for information on this RFA to:

Nigel Rollins

Research and guideline development

Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health

World Health Organization

or:

Michelle Mulder

Senior Programme Manager

Grants Innovation and Product Development

South African Medical Research Council

Tel: +27 21 938 0937

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