South Africa’s National Tuberculosis Programme activities have failed to prevent an expansion of the TB epidemic over the last 20 years, with SA now having amongst the highest TB burdens in the world.  The TB control programme has primarily focused on effective case management of passively presenting TB cases, and progress has been recorded towards international treatment targets. While outcomes of notified TB cases have improved, this strategy has failed to contain the TB epidemic. The emergence of the HIV pandemic has fuelled the TB epidemic with more cases of TB in the last decade in South Africa than in any prior years.. Likewise TB is a major cause of death in HIV infected individuals. The synergistic effects at all levels from an epidemiological to molecular level argues for control strategies that embrace both diseases. Without adequate control of the TB-HIV syndemic, the long term TB elimination targets of 2050 will not be reached.  South Africa has the highest per capita annual risk of TB disease of comparably sized countries globally, and its communities have extremely high TB transmission rates. New control strategies need to be identified; implemented; evaluated and taken to scale accompanied by novel TB control targets. Multidisciplinary approaches that consider TB and HIV together, rather than as separate problems and diseases are called for.

These awards, funded through collaboration with the SAMRC and UK MRC, will support projects that can have a measurable impact on TB and/or contribute to the evidence base for optimal control. Therefore Implementation science (IS) under this call encompasses a variety of methods and studies specifically designed to guide policies and program implementation to identify effective and efficient models for the scale-up of prevention, care and treatment programs.

It is hoped that through these implementation science projects a cohesive program of implementation science research will be undertaken to address some of the key questions that could impact on lowering the morbidity and mortality of TB in South Africa.

Implementation science research conducted under this call is aimed at accelerating and optimising TB Control in South Africa; specifically by:

Investigating, testing and build evidence for effective program activities

Improving performance of current programs

Identifying effective and efficient models for the scale-up of programs

Improving and evaluating uptake and implementation of innovations and best practices

Promoting translation of research findings into healthcare policy and practice

 

Timelines

Stages

Date/period

 1. Publication of call

 11 June 2015

 2. Deadline for submitting applications

 4 September 2015

 3. Review completion and feedback

 September - October 2015

 4. Award and contracting

 November 2015

How to apply

SAMRC is managing this call and so proposals must be submitted to SAMRC.

Applicants should therefore visit the SAMRC website for the full call details and guidance relating to how to apply.

The Newton Fund

The Newton Fundopens in new window is a £375 million fund (£75 million a year for five years) which, through science and innovation partnerships aims to promote the economic development and welfare of poor people in developing countries. The fund is overseen by the Department for Businesses Innovation and Skills (BIS) and delivered through 15 delivery partners in collaboration with 15 partnering countries.

 

 

Financial & Grants Management

Budget Preparation	Steps to be taken while Applying for Grants
Bank Reconciliation	Letter of Intent
AdvancesÂ	Capacity Building
Cost Effective Analysis	Concept Note
How to choosea Bank	Bank Accounts
Cash and Fund flowÂ	Asset RegisterÂ
Financial Statements	Cash and Acrual based AccountingÂ