1. INDEPTH Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2014
The AGM will take place from October 29 – 31, 2014 at Africana Hotel in Kampala, Uganda. Registration for the AGM is now open and can only be done online. All centre leaders are required to register and attend. It is important to note that attendance is a requirement for continued membership of the Network. For self-sponsored participants, the accommodation cost per night is $100.

For registration click: http://www.indepth-network.org/agmform.php

2. New Paper on HIV and AIDS from the Secretariat
Below is a paper on HIV and AIDS from the Secretariat which has just been published online. Congrats to the authors!

Article title: Prevention, Treatment and Future Challenges of HIV&AIDS. A Decade of INDEPTH Research.
Journal title: HIV & AIDS Review‎
Online publication complete: 31-JUL-2014
DOI information: 10.1016/j.hivar.2014.06.004

Article is now published online at: http://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S1730127014000678

Abstract
Aim
To present a systematic review that evaluates the contributions of the INDEPTH Network of health and demographic surveillance systems (HDSSs) to research efforts on prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods
Publication titles were sent to INDEPTH by member centres. These were uploaded onto the Zotero research tool from different databases (most from PubMed). We searched for publications using the keyword “HIV” and the publication date. The 540 relevant papers were all published in peer-reviewed English language journals between 1999 and 2012. For a paper to be included in this study it must have extensively tackled the issue of HIV (1), prevention (2) and challenges associated with the treatment. After a thorough review, 89 papers were finally selected.

Results
Consistent condom use has been found to be highly protective against HIV infection. Although women feel at risk of contracting HIV from their partners and many women knew about condoms, they were unable to use them due to the partner's refusal. Infection with STDs is associated with HIV infection, populations with high rates of STDs and high-risk sexual behaviour, interventions to treat STDs can help prevent HIV transmission. The study also found that mother-to-child transmission was 2.7 times higher in infants breastfed for more than six months than in those breastfed for less than six months. The study found that the most promising prevention intervention discovered so far is male circumcision.

Conclusion
INDEPTH member centres have tracked the course of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. They have analysed how the virus is transmitted and how it impacts families, communities and economies. Prevention and treatment policies and technologies have also come under scrutiny, including prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, male circumcision, behaviour change polices, antiretroviral treatment and other key interventions. The robust and extensive data HDSSs have generated provide critical insights to policy-makers as the epidemic moves into its fourth decade.

Keywords
HIV/AIDSHealth and demographic surveillance systems Sexually transmitted diseases

3. Scholarship for African Scientists
The Africa London Nagasaki Scholarship Fund has been set up to support African scientists building a career in infectious disease research.

The scholarship will allow African researchers to undertake an MSc in a subject relevant to the control of infectious disease in the developing world at either the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Japan (NEKKEN) or at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK (LSHTM). Successful applicants will receive a maximum of US$50,000 each to cover tuition fees, travel and living expenses. The fund will support up to four scholarships per year. The application deadline is Friday, September 12, 2014.

Please see attached for details.

4. Meet our graduates from the INDEPTH-funded MSc Programme at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Today, we feature Christian Ashong Nikoi, formerly of Dodowa HDSS, Ghana.

This series of short profiles is to introduce the more than 30 HDSS scientists who have been funded by INDEPTH to pursue the MSc in Population-based Field Epidemiology at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Scholarships for this programme have been graciously provided by Sida, Rockefeller Foundation and the Gates Foundation. .

More information on the INDEPTH Scientific Development and Leadership Programme can be obtained by clicking on the following link: Leadership Programme.

Full name:Christian Ashong Nikoi
Position before the programme: Field Coordinator - Rectal Artesunate Study, Dodowa HDSS
Position after programme: Research Officer (Data Management), Dodowa HDSS
Student years at Wits University: 2008-2009
Host HDSS centre for the field attachment: Africa Centre, South Africa