IDRC network

[Julio Cesar Rojas]

~r~rxDVOLUME 1, NUMBER 1, AUGUST 1994
 
 
ANNOUNCEMENT
 
THE OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF THE IDCR GLOBAL RESEARCH NETWORK
ON LEISHMANIASIS CONTROL 
 
The Leishmaniasis Control Global Network was activated
through a project design and methodology workshop attended
by seven countries in San Jos, Costa Rica. The workshop was
hosted by the Universidad Nacional. Costa Rica was nominated as
the network coordination centre, with Dr. Julio C. Rojas (the
Principal Investigator of the Costa Rican component) as
coordinator. There will be a Leishmaniasis Control Network
Newsletter. Although the network project, as approved by IDRC in
1993, consisted of five countries (Colombia, Costa Rica, India,
Mexico and Tunisia) it was unanimously agreed to include Peru
which is also currently undertaking an IDRC-funded Leishmaniasis
control research project.
 
EDITORIAL
 
It is becoming increasingly frequent, and of general acceptance
to join efforts among research groups of several countries so
that together they can look for solutions to health problems (or
of any other kind).  The above is a result of the belief that
these solutions will be found more quickly--and be more efficient
and long lasting--when these groups strengthen their efforts by
accomplishing a close communication that allows them to share
experiences and results and to complement one another. "To
promote and exchange the most recent information about the
determining factors of Leishmaniasis and on the strategies to
{_control and prevent these diseases with the active participation
of the affected communities" is the main goal of the recently
founded Leishmaniasis Control Global Network.  Among other
things, we expect the network to become a nimble and efficient
mechanismsgAA1e%9


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!9%EUM1j|training of staff, cooperative work and joint evaluation of new
strategies and tools to control these diseases.
 
At the opening meeting of the network an agreement was made to
publish a Bulletin, which appears today for the first time under
the responsibility of the Costa Rican group, chosen as
coordinator of the network and sponsored by the IDRC.  The
Bulletin which will appear in English and Spanish is addressed
mainly to the members of the network who will have the
responsibility sending news, comments and short excerpts or
articles to be published.   I believe it will also be useful for
many groups worldwide who work on the topic of Leishmaniasis. We
are willing to receive brief news or comments from our colleagues
from other regions or countries, especially those related to the
chief objective of our network.  Any suggestions related to this
Bulletin will be welcome.
 
This first issue of the Bulletin is devoted to the highlights of
the inaugural meeting of the Network, and its future.  On the
front page is the official announcement of the launching of the
Network sent by Panduka Wijeyaratne from the Health Science
Division of the IDRC of Canada.  In the following pages, you will
find a brief chronology of the decisions and facts that
eventually led to the official establishment of the Network. 
Further on we make a brief account of the inaugural meeting, and
we present the projects discussed, the research teams in order of
country and the main results of the meeting.  Among these we have
the vision, the mission, InXthe expectations of the network as
agreed by all the participants.  We also included the needs and
strengths of each research group identified by themselves.  On
the last page, there is a message from the coordinator of the
network, Julio C. Rojas.
 
In the next issues, the editors would like to have some permanent
sections; for instance, Future Events, Recent Publications,
Readers' Opinion and News from the Network and its members.
 
                                          Rodrigo Zeled"n
 
 
 
 
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF IDRC SUPPORT FOR Leishmaniasis
RESEARCH
 
1985    Decision to consider Leishmaniasis research support in a
        concerted effort.
 
1987    Ottawa, Canada - International Workshop to identify
        research issues in Leishmaniasis control.
 
1988    Publication of: Research on Control Strategies for the
        Leishmaniases: Proceedings of an International Workshop
        held in Ottawa, Canada, 1-4 June 1987 eds B.C. Walton,
        P.M. Wijeyaratne and F. Modabber. IDRC.
 
1985-91 Funded projects on community-based field research:
        Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Kenya, Ethiopia,
        Tunisia, Lebanon and Jordan.
 
1990    Mexico D.F., Mexico - III Latin American Congress in
        Tropical Medicine.  Researchers from Latin America
        discussed the need to establish a network to provide
        effective communication among the different research
        groups on Leishmaniasis.
 
1991    Merida-Mexico - Workshop to critically evaluate research
        results and plan for control linked projects was held.
        Decision taken to create a five country network in
        application of research results (Colombia, Costa Rica,
        India, Mexico, Tunisia).  Emphasis on interdisciplinary,
        multiple institution team approaches.  Peru initiates
        control research in an independent project supported by
        IDRC.
 
1992    Publication of Leishmaniasis Control Strategies: A
        Critical Evaluation of IDRC-supported Research eds. Pandu
        Wijeyaratne, Tracey Goodman and Carlos Espinal.
 
1992    Cali, Colombia - Meeting of research groups from
        Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico with representatives from
        IDRC and PAHO/WHO.  Discussion of four research projects
        and their financial support, oriented toward control with
        effective community participation component.  These three
        countries begin to work as an unofficial network.
 
1993    IDRC approves funding for the Global Network.  Tunisia
        and India are included.
 
1994    Publication of Endemic Disease and Development: the
        Leishmaniases, ACTA TROPICA (April 1994), P.M.
        Wijeyaratne, L.K. Jones Arsenault, C.J. Murphy.
 
1994    San Jos, Costa Rica - Inaugural meeting of the Global
        Research Network for the Control of Leishmaniasis.  Peru
        is included as a member.
 
OBJECTIVES OF THE FIRST MEETING
 
The workshop focus was on developing the research methodologies
and techniques for incorporating community participation and
evaluation into the research activities. The objectives of the
meeting were to:
 
     i) Increase participant's knowledge of the concepts and
practice of community participation and evaluation by sharing
experiences and joint skills development.
 
     ii) Further develop and elaborate methodologies for
community participation and the incorporation of evaluation in
the research design of the network projects.
 
     iii) Foster a strong sense of commitment, participation and
ownership of the research network.
 
 
REVIEW OF NETWORK INAUGURAL MEETING
 
During the first day, project teams identified and shared their
past experiences, strengths, weaknesses and needs for ensuring
the successful implementation of community participation and
evaluation in their research activities.  
 
On the second day, the focus was on community participation.  An
introduction to the theory and practice of community
participation was made which included a discussion of techniques
and experiences with participatory evaluation.  Working groups
were formed to practice applying and incorporating the concepts
and techniques of community participation into each other's
project proposals.
 
The third day of the workshop was devoted to evaluation.  An
introduction to the principles and processes of evaluation as a
management tool was made.  A practical method for designing an
evaluation framework was covered.  
 
During day four, research team working groups, and presentation
of the methodologies and strategies for community participation
and evaluation were discussed.
 
On the last day, we discussed plans and agreements for ensuring
the effective functioning and success of the research network. 
We also nominated a coordinator for the next two years
or up to the next meeting in Tunisia.  The Colombian group
proposed the Costa Rican principal investigator, Dr. Julio C.
Rojas, and the Peruvian group proposed the Colombian one. 
Finally, Dr. Julio C. Rojas was chosen as the first coordinator
of the Network. 
 
 
 
RESEARCH PROPOSALS PRESENTED AT THE MEETING
 
COLOMBIA: "An infectious disease control strategy for the pacific
coast of Colombia based on social participation, using cutaneous
Leishmaniasis as a model".
 
COSTA RICA: "An environmental and educational model for community
control of Leishmaniasis in Acosta".
 
INDIA: "Development of visceral Leishmaniasis control strategy
through an interdisciplinary approach and epidemiological study
in Bihar".
 
MEXICO:"Cutaneous Leishmaniasis integrated control in selected
focus of sylvatic transmission in the state of Campeche".
 
}iPERU: "Control program of andean cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Per#"
 
TUNISIA: "Evaluation of the impact of planting acacia to control
cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Sidi-Bouzid Governorate".
 
 
     ADDRESSES OF THE PARTICIPATING TEAMS AND ITS MEMBERS
 
COLOMBIA
Carlos Rojas
Bruce Alexander
CIDEIM
Ave. 1 N. No.3-03
Cali, Colombia
tel: (5723) 6146Ca5~fax: (5723) 672989
e.mail: cideim at ujccol.bitnet
 
Jaime Becerra
Constanza Collazos
Marleny Mu$oz
Roc!o G"mez 
CIMDER
Universidad del Valle, Facultad de Salud
Apartado Areo 3708
Cali, Colombia
tel: (5723) 542477
fax: (5723) 542488
e.mail: cimder at mafalda.univalle.edu.co
 
COSTA RICA
Julio C. Rojas, e.mail: jcrojas at huracan.cr
Alvaro Dobles
Marco V. Herrero
Rodrigo Zeled"n
Andrea Urbina
Luis N. Araya
Jaime Chaves
Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria
Universidad Nacional
Apartado Postal 304-3000
Heredia, Costa Rica
tel/fax: (506) 237-9735
 
 
Harry Hidalgo
Antonio Castro
xDJimmy Araya
Departamento de Dermatolog!a Sanitaria
Ministerio de Salud
San Jos, Costa Rica
 
 
Margot Fallas
Melba Fallas
Grupo de Giras
San Ignacio de Acosta
San Jos, Costa Rica
 
 
 
INDIA
Lala S. Prasad
Rajendra Memorial Research Institute
Agamkuan, Patna 800 007
Bihar, India
tel: (91) 640851
fax: (9111) 619411 (CIID, New Delhi)
 
Mira Aghi
P-14 Green Park extn.
New Delhi, India
tel: (9111) 4619411
 
 
JORDANIA
 
Shaden Kamhawi
Department of Biological Sciences
Yarmuk University
Irbid JorvAl
tel: (9622) 271100, ext. 2835
fax: (9626) 614145
 
 
 
MEXICO
 
Fernando Andrade
Nicole Van Wynsberghe
Ra#l Kuk Cab
Centro de Investigaciones Regionales 
"Dr. Hideyo Noguchi"
Universidad Aut"noma de Yucat n
Apartado Postal 2-1277
97240 Mrida, Yucat n, Mxico
tel: (5299) 246412
fax: (5299) 236120
 
 
 
PERU
 
Alejandro Llanos, e.mail: allanos at edu.upch.pe
Instituto de Medicina Tropical
"Alexander Von Humboldt"
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Apartado Postal 4314-Lima 100 Per#
tel: (5114) 821524
fax: (5114) 827423
 
TUNEZ
 
Riadh Ben Ismail
Laboratorio de Ecolog!a y Epidemiolog!a Enf. Parasitarias
Instituto Pasteur de T#nez
Apartado Postal 74
1002 Tunis, Belvedere
T#nez
tel: (2161) 792429
fax: (2161) 791833
 
 
Ali Garraoui
Direcci"n Regional de Salud P#blica
91100 Sidi Bouzid, T#nez
tel: (2166) 632891
fax: (2166) 632534
 
 
 
CANADA
Panduka Wijeyaratne, e.mail: pwijeyaratne at idrc.ca
Tracey Goodman
CIID
POB 8500
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada KIG 3H9
tel: (613) 236 6163
fax: (613) 563 2476
 
 
Sheila Robinson
Division of International Development
International Centre
University of Calgary
2500 University Dr. N.W.
Calgary, Alberta Canada
T2N 1N4
tel: (403) 220 7700
fax: (403) 289 0171
 
 
 
Arnold Love
Canadian Evaluation Society
354 Roehampton Ave. 
Toronto Ontario
M4P 1S4
Canada
tel/fax: (416) 485 2159
 
 
NEEDS OF THE RESEARCH GROUPS
 
COLOMBIA
-Concerned about design capability and statistical software.
-Small sample size may require support.
-Interested in establishing more effective contact with Costa
Rica in reference to epidemiological design.
-Interested in Geographical Information Systems (GIS), exchange
and support from Tunisia on this.
-Training and support in evaluation.
-Need for a means of better communication among groups of the
Network (e.mail, newsletter), and with other related groups.
-Need for more information on opportunities that may lead to
other donor financial support.
 
COSTA RICA
-Need to strengthen immunological aspects and techniques,
 possibly with CIDEIM and Tunisia.
-Strengthening of expertise in community participation, possibly
with CIMDER involvement.
-Need to standardize study designs, data collection and data
analysis for comparison purposes.  To fulfill this need, we
suggest the organization of a workshop in epidemiological design
and analysis.
 
INDIA
-Assistance in establishing a community participation component,
and in entomological aspects with CIDEIM.
 
MEXICO 
-Exchange with Colombia (CIMDER) in community participation for
training of community health team, and with CIDEIM for
establishing a sandfly colony.
 
PERU
-Need to standardize design.
-Need support for evaluation component.
 
TUNISIA
-Need to have technical documents in French to train public
health agents.
-Need to have a common data analysis for comparison purposes.
 
 
WHAT GROUPS HAVE TO OFFER
 
COLOMBIA
CIDEIM:
-Knowledge on the evaluation and validation of new methods of
diagnosis
-Expertise in biology and immunology of parasites.
-Evaluation%?3 different methods of vector control.
 
CIMDER:
-Community participation course and share other resources and
experiences on this.
-Health models for more than just Leishmaniasis and
experiences from other disease programs.
-Offer the educational materials and technologies that we have
 developed for primary health care.
 
COSTA RICA
-Assistance with epidemiological research, descriptive and
analytical (design and analysis).
-Assistance with establishing data validity and analysis
protocols.
-Advisory capacity in anthropology.
-Advisory capacity in entomology, especially in population
dynamics.
 
INDIA
-Skills and experience in formative evaluation and participatory
development and strong field experience.
-Knowledge and experience on visceral Leishmaniasis.
 
MEXICO
-Parasitological approach.
-Vector-reservoir interface studies and generation of models.
 
PERU
-Strengths for design and analysis.
-Experience in transmission patterns.
-Simplified treatment systems on the field.
-Evaluation on insecticide and reinforcing natural products for
community use.
-Evaluation of social risk factors using combination qualitative
and quantitative methods.
 
TUNISIA
-GIS expertise.
-DNA probe for infection rates (reservoirs and sandflies).
-Mathematical models tools.
 
 
VISION OF THE NETWORK
 
An integrated global network that shares the latest information
on Leishmaniasis and its control with researchers, health
services personnel and communities.
 
 
MISSION OF THE NETWORK
 
To promote and share the latest research information concerning
the determinants of Leishmaniasis and strategies for control and
prevention that incorporate active community participation.
 
 
EXPECTATIONS ABOUT THE NETWORK RESULTS
 
-Production of new tools, methodologies and strategies for
control.
-Decreased incidence and prevalence of Leishmaniasis.
-Development, dissemination and implementation of models and
effective strategies for the control of Leishmaniasis.
-Increase in level of training and capability of researchers.
-Increased knowledge through research.
-Organization of periodical meetings.
-Tested strategies for the control of Leishmaniasis.
-Implementation of concrete and effective mechanisms for
communication.
BUILDING A BETTER MOUSETRAP: INCLUDING EVALUATION IN THE
DESIGN OF LEISHMANIASIS CONTROL PROJECTS
 
 
 
The IDRC-supported Global Leishmaniasis Control Network
is breaking new ground once again. At its recent Methodology
and Network Design Workshop held in San Jos, Costa Rica in
January of this year, research teams from Mxico, Costa
Rica, India, Colombia, Tunisia, Peru and Jordan turned their
attention and energies towards incorporating evaluation
directly into their projects at the design stage. The
strengths of this approach, in contrast to the more common
ex-post external evaluation, are two fold:
 
          * research teams can use evaluation as a management
            tool to ensure more effective implementation of the
            project; and
 
          * it enables better measurement of project impact in an
            on-going fashion.
 
With the assistance of Dr. Arnold Love (an evaluation consultant,
professor and author of many books on evaluation), participants
at the meeting were exposed to the latest theory and practice of
evaluation, as well as a practical method for designing an
evaluation framework. This method consists of a simple four step
approach:
 
         Step 1:  Define mission and objectives
         Step 2:  Identify Results
         Step 3:  Develop Performance Indicators
         Step 4:  Integrate into Planning, Management and
                  Budgeting Cycle
 
At the workshop, discussion and skills development was
particularly focused on the identification of results (Step 2)
and the development of performance indicators (Step 3).
To simplify thinking, three types or categories of results
were considered:
 
1.  OUTPUTS: The specific project or service that the
research project produces or is expected to produce and for which
the project leader and research team is held accountable. Outputs
are often quantitative and relatively easy to measure (for
example: the development of a new control method or technique,
publications, workshops, etc).
 
2. IMPACT ON BENEFICIARIES: The positive or negative effect of
impact of the research activity on the people, households,
organizations, communities or other units towards whom the
activity is directed. The measurement of beneficiary impacts
requires effort and creativity. The techniques employed can be
quantitative or qualitative and may involve the direct
participation of the beneficiaries (for example: participatory
evaluation techniques which enable the documentation of community
perceptions, attitudes and behavior changes as a consequence of
the research activity).
 
3. OUTCOMES: The broad, longer-term effects or impacts of a
research activity. It usually involves the acceptance, use
and adoption of the research output and includes both
intended and unintended results. The measurement of outcomes
usually involves both quantitative and qualitative methods, and
must have a broad reach (for example: whether the research
activity had a political, social, economical or environmental
impact).
 
 
After an introductory plenary session to evaluation, research
teams had the opportunity to work through the steps of designing
and incorporating evaluation into their own research proposals.
Following the four step approach outlined above, participants
used an Evaluation Framework Worksheet (example below) to develop
an evaluation strategy and identify appropriate indicators for
each category of result (outputs, beneficiary impacts, outcomes).
Although there was not time to complete the evaluation exercise
at the workshop, the research teams agreed to finalize their
plans and worksheets once they returned home -- recognizing that
the responsibility (and the benefits) of systematically assessing
the value and impact of their research activities falls to them.
 
By Tracey Goodman, Evaluation Unit, IDRC
 
 
 
 
MESSAGE OF THE COORDINATOR
     
During our first meeting held in Costa Rica we had the
opportunity to meet again with old friends and also to make some
new ones.  For me and all our team members it was a pleasure to
have so many distinguished "leishmaniacs" in our country.  It is
important to think about the responsibility that weighs on our
shoulders.  It is also important to keep in mind that in many
countries people affected by this disease have a lot of hope in
our work.  I feel that we have a committed ourselves to try to
decrease the incidence of Leishmaniasis in our countries and,
consequently, improve the quality of life of our people.   I
believe that this group (the network) has shown a strong pledge
to continue carrying out valuable research in the future.  For
this reason, I believe that this new adventure will be a
successful one.  We have taken the initiative to show the world
how a group of researchers can work in close collaboration and
share experiences and results in an organized and systematic
manner.  We have a heavy work load  but we are happy about it. 
We are ready to show the world that together we will be able to
do many things that it would not have been possible to do alone.
 
Our network has begun with the participation of researchers from
six countries, four from the Americas, one from Africa and one
from Asia.  Our hope is that in the near future more countries
from different latitudes will join our network.
 
My final message, especially to all participants of the network,
is that the strength and the success of the network will result
from the active participation of all us.  
 

                            LEISHNET
BOLETIN OFICIAL DE LA RED GLOBAL DE INVESTIGACION PARA EL CONTROL
DE LAS LEISHMANIASIS
 
OFFICIAL BULLETIN OF THE GLOBAL RESEARCH NETWORK ON LEISHMANIASIS
CONTROL
 
COMITE EDITORIAL:
EDITORIAL COMMITEE:
JULIO C. ROJAS
ALVARO DOBLES
RODRIGO ZELEDON
 
 
ESTE BOLETIN SE DISTRIBUYE GRATUITAMENTE A LOS INTERESADOS.  PARA
OBTENERLO DIRIGIRSE A:
THIS BULLETIN IS DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE TO THOSE INTERESTED.
IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE A COPY PLEASE WRITE TO:
UNIDAD DE EPIDEMIOLOGIA
UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL
APARTADO POSTAL 304-3000
HEREDIA, COSTA RICA
TEL/FAX: (506) 237-9735