News
May 7, 2015
The Next Big Thing
Categories: Talks and Events
Tags: Certificate Program, students
It’s that time of year again for our 3rd annual “Next Big Thing” end-of-year event. The evening will be dedicated to highlighting the achievements of our scholars, and certificate students. We will start off in Foege auditorium with Dr. Judith Wasserheit speaking, followed by brief highlights from our Scholars and their various projects around the world. We will then move upstairs to Vista Café to enjoy some refreshments while looking at the Global WACh certificate student posters.
Here are the details!
Date: Wednesday, May 27th 2015
Place: UW Campus | William H. Foege Building | Foege Auditorium
Time:
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Presentations from:
Annie Hoopes, MD (WHO Scholar)
Emily Robinson and Kate Fizenmaier (SCOPE Scholars)
Our recent Seed Grant Awardees
Dr. Judith Wasserheit, Chair, Department of Global Health
6:30-7:30 p.m. – Light Reception & Student Posters in the Vista Cafe.
March 23, 2015
Dr. Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli of WHO Presents at Global WACh
Categories: Research, Talks and Events
Tags: adolescent health
This week we were pleased to have Dr. Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli here at Global WACh for an amazing presentation on adolescent and sexual reproductive health.
Since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994 there have been tremendous changes made throughout the world in which adolescents live. Lowered infant mortality, a decrease in poverty, and better access to clean drinking water are just a few examples of things that have improved. Progress where it comes to adolescent sexual health however hasn’t been quite as successful, and often inadequate commitment, discomfort, or limited funding and resources stand in the way of such changes.
“When you have huge fires burning like childhood or maternal mortality, or HIV, adolescent sexual and reproductive health is talked about as one of the many priorities but is not given the attention it needs.”
Dr. Chandra-Mouli works in the World Health Organization’s Department of Reproductive Health and Research and seeks to create evidence based policy changes and programs. Watch the recorded talk on our YouTube channel.
February 10, 2015
The CATCH Study Focuses on the Children Who Miss Diagnosis
Categories: Research
Tags: CATCH, HIV, Pediatrics, PMTCT
The Kenya Pediatric Studies (KPS) team has been working hard on an important study called CATCH (Counseling and Testing for Children at Home). The CATCH study does just what the name says by “catching” children ages 12 and under who have fallen through the cracks in HIV diagnosis systems.
There are 3.3 million children in the world living with HIV. Half of HIV-infected children that go untreated will die by the age of two. There are some great programs in place to help prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) during pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding; but going through all the steps in these systems can be challenging, and medication is not always successful at preventing infection in babies. (more…)
January 5, 2015
Global WACh WHO Scholar Focus – Annie Hoopes
Categories: students
Have we mentioned we have amazing students?
Annie Hoopes, MD, is one of our Global WACh Certificate Program students and a World Health Organization (WHO) Scholar. She is also a pediatrician and is currently completing a fellowship in adolescent medicine at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital. Through her collaboration on a systematic review of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services with Dr. Donna Denno, Annie met co-author Dr. Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli, an international expert in adolescent health services with the WHO.
Dr. Chandra-Mouli subsequently invited Annie to the WHO in Geneva to work as an intern in the Division of Reproductive Health and Research during summer 2014. This provided a great opportunity for mentorship for her, as she is interested in promoting adolescent sexual and reproductive health in resource-limited settings.
At WHO, Annie worked with the Adolescents and At-Risk Populations Team where she gained an understanding of how agencies like WHO, World Bank, UNICEF, and UN work in partnership to promote sexual and reproductive health.
We want to ensure that ever-shrinking resources for adolescent health are being directed toward programs with proven adolescent health and psychosocial benefits.”
Annie’s passion to ensure adolescents get the resources they need was central to her task at WHO of reviewing the effectiveness of programs in countries implementing adolescent-friendly services. She began with systematic review of adolescent health initiatives in India. She also studied how adolescents are addressed in national reproductive health policies, using South Africa as a case study.
Annie is back in Seattle now for her final year of fellowship and public health training and is looking forward to applying these experiences for the next steps in her career.
When we know 2.1 million adolescents age 10-19 are living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries and one in five women worldwide has a child before age 18, it is undeniable that our health systems must ensure that age- and context-appropriate preventive and treatment interventions reach this vulnerable population”
Keep up the great work, Annie!
December 12, 2014
Global WACh’s Launch of Special Supplement of the Journal of Adolescent Health
Categories: Research, Talks and Events
Tags: adolescent health, ICPD
There are 1.8 billion adolescents in the world today. That’s a tremendous number of youth that are at a crucial point of transition in their lives. 1.4 million adolescents die each year from causes such as early pregnancy, sexual violence, unsafe abortions, and HIV and other STIs. Yet adolescence is often overlooked in policy making, particularly in low income, high risk settings, and the global health of adolescents is not improving at the rate it should.
Last night Global WACh was proud to sponsor the launch of a Special Supplement of the Journal of Adolescent Health. This marks the 20th anniversary of the the landmark Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).
We had some truly amazing speakers on hand to have a conversation on ways of improving the health and well-being of adolescents globally. The speakers and a tremendous student panel shared their experiences and discussed how investing in adolescent friendly health services, comprehensive sex education, supportive environments, violence prevention, and youth participation can help adolescents transition into happy and healthy adults.
If you missed our livestream of the event, you can go to the following link and watch the recorded version. Thanks to all our speakers, students, and attendees that helped make this launch a great success!
November 21, 2014
Two Great Back to Back Adolescent Lectures
Categories: Talks and Events
Tags: adolescent health
Please join Global WACh for two fantastic events focusing on the health of adolescents and women.
Journal of Adolescent Health Special Issue Launch
With Drs. Donna Denno, Annie Hoopes, Grace John-Stewart, and Judy Wasserheit.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Event | 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Reception
W.H. Foege Building | Room N130
3720 15th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98105
Join authors Drs. Donna Denno and Annie Hoopes, along with Global WACh Director Dr. Grace John-Stewart and UW’s Department of Global Health Chair Dr. Judy Wasserheit, for a discussion about the global status of adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights. The event will include a series of presentations and a panel of global health professionals with first-hand experience discussing the realities in settings around the world, followed by a short reception.
Migration/Mobility and Early Sex Exchange as Social Determinants of Marginalized Women and Adolescents’ Health
With Dr. Shira Goldenberg
Tuesday, December 16th
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Harborview Ninth and Jefferson Building | 13th floor | Room 1360
325 Ninth Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
This lecture will illustrate the critical roles of early sex exchange and migration/mobility patterns in shaping health inequalities related to HIV/STIs, substance use, and access to care for marginalized women and adolescents. Drawing on evidence from epidemiological and qualitative studies conducted with women and adolescents involved in the sex industry in Mexico, Guatemala, and Canada, this lecture will highlight the need for policy changes and multi-level interventions to promote the health of migrant/mobile women and adolescents who exchange sex.
November 20, 2014
Certificate Student Focus – Lisa Shawcroft
Categories: Education
Tags: Certificate Program
Lisa Shawcroft, a 2014 Global WACh Certificate Program Alum, was selected as one of 128 fellows with Global Health Corps. She is currently a Communications Specialist for Marie Stopes International (MSI)- US in Washington DC, and is blazing a trail for future Global Health Corps fellows to be able to work with the organization in sexual and reproductive health.
During her studies at the Evans School of Public Affairs, Lisa was drawn to the conversations about health systems and hospital cases. She had taken the Global WACh Law & Policy Solutions course; which according to her, compliment her Masters in Public Administration coursework very well. She had previously been involved with a few non-profits here in Seattle and wanted to broaden her horizons. After graduating from the UW with an MPA and certificates in Non-profit Management as well as the Global WACh Certificate, Lisa identified MSI-US as an opportunity to put her recently acquired skills into practice. (more…)
November 3, 2014
Birth Defects in Iraq: The Consequences of War
Categories: Talks and Events
Tags: birth defects, Iraq
On October 27th, Global WACh co-sponsored a series of presentations entitled: “Birth Defects in Iraq: The Consequences of War.” Dr. Muhsin Al-Sabbak, an obstetrician at Basra Maternity Hospital and Mozhgan Savabieasfahani, an environmental toxicologist, shared their knowledge of the devastating effects of war on the children of Iraq. (more…)
October 29, 2014
Global WACh’s Technical Symposium on Strengthening the Nutrition Continuum
Categories: Nutrition, Talks and Events
Tags: malnutrition, nutrition
There are 7 billion people in the world and nearly 2 billion are undernourished and 2 billion are overweight or obese. Last week, the team at Global WACh held a fascinating and informative learning symposium at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Experts from The University of Washington, Seattle Children’s Hospital, PATH, and 1,000 Days came together for a full day of discussion and presentation on the global burdens of malnutrition.
There were three main sessions throughout the day: Basic Science and Discovery; Implementation; and National Systems Building, each including impactful presentations with quite a few staggering facts and figures. Throughout the day we were presented with new ideas, innovative techniques for testing, all with a healthy air of hopeful idealism. It was wonderful to have a day to discuss what we can do to help ensure healthy, happy, and nourished lives around the world.
Thanks to all of our speakers and to the Gates Foundation for hosting!
October 8, 2014
Birth Defects in Iraq: The Consequences of War
Categories: Talks and Events
Tags: Discovery Series, Iraq, maternal health
Global WACh is proud to co-sponsor the next Washington Global Health Alliance Discovery Series highlighting the effects of war on Iraqi mothers and infants. Mozhgan Savabieasfahani, an environmental toxicologist from the University of Michigan will be giving a talk Friday, October 24th at 12:30pm entitled “Environmental Poisoning of Iraq: Why Academics Must Speak Out.” Dr. Muhsin Al-Sabbak who is an obstetrician at Basrah Maternity Hospital will speak on Monday, October 27th on “The Epidemic of Birth Defects in Iraq: Conversations with an Iraqi Doctor.”
Monday’s event is open to the public with a reception starting at 5:30pm. Dr. Al-Sabbak will speak at 6:00 at University Temple United Methodist Church (1415 NE 43rd St. Seattle). Please join us for this very important and enlightening event.
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