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PEER Health Research Grant Program to fund 3 health researches of ZCHRD

Originally written by:

Mr. Ricardo J. Apolinario III
Originally published in local news papers on December 08, 2011

The Zamboanga Consortium for Health Research and Development (ZCHRD) through the DOST’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) announces the initial approval of funding support to three (3) local health research proposals in Zamboanga City.

The research proposals are 1) “Documentation of the Perinatal Practices of the Subanen, Badjao & Tausug in Zamboanga City Basis for Enhanced Health Care Services” by Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU) - College of Nursing; 2) “Assessment of School-based Nutrition Health Program in Public Elementary Schools in Zamboanga City” by Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) - College of Communications & Humanities; 3) “The Status of Breastfeeding Program of the government among Selected Low Income Barangays in Zamboanga City” by WMSU - College of Communications & Humanities.

Specifically, Pzifer’s funding is under the program re “Providing an Enabling Environment for Research in Health (PEER Health). This program is a tripartite partnership of the PCHRD, University of the Philippines Manila - National Institutes of Health (UPM-NIH) and Pfizer Philippines Foundation.

The PEER Health Research Grant Program promotes the value of health research by supporting local researches that respond to current and relevant health concerns in the Philippines. Through this program, interested young researchers will be provided funding support, training, and mentoring on research protocol development, project implementation, good clinical practice, research ethics, data analysis, and publication of results in a scientific journal.

Applicants-researchers should be no more than 45 years of age, a Filipino citizen, and affiliated with a pre-selected research-based institution. The research topic must fall within the following areas:

Ways to address the problem of malnutrition in a resource-poor setting;
Evaluation of strategies for controlling parasitic infections in endemic areas;
Strategies to improve health-seeking behavior and access to reproductive health services;
Public health interventions to reduce maternal and child mortality (e.g. pre-pregnancy package implementation and birth outcomes,factors affecting home deliveries vs. health facility deliveries, and factors affecting adolescent and teen pregnancies);
Interventions for the prevention and control of important infectious diseases such as dengue, leptospirosis, measles, TB, etc.;
Impact of climate change on health; and
Role of complementary and alternative medicine.

ZCHRD is an organization created to optimize the use of research to help alleviate the health and nutrition problems of the people in Region IX, with financial and technical support of the DOST-PCHRD. The consortium is led by the ADZU with Dr. Teresita Montano as the Chairperson.

DOST grants graduate scholarships

Originally written by:

Ms. Jill Cindy L. Cruz / Mr. Ricardo J. Apolinario III
Originally published in local news papers on December 08, 2011

The DOST Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) announces the availability of scholarships for Master’s and Doctorate (MS & PhD) degrees in priority S&T areas through the implementation of the Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program (ASTHRDP). Acceptance of the application is now open until April 30, 2012.

The DOST-SEI offers two (2) types of graduate scholarship:

1. University-based MS/PhD Program
2. Thesis/Dissertation Grant Support for R&D priority areas of DOST

The grant of the scholarship aims to help improve the country’s global competitiveness and capability to innovate through alternative approaches on HRD in S&T and to accelerate the production of high-level human resources needed for S&T.

Applicants to the scholarship program must belong to any of the following:

1. Professionals doing research or those from industry
2. Newly graduated students
3. On-going MS/PhD students in priority S&T fields and DOST network schools

Moreover, the applicant must also:

- Not more than 45 years old at the time of application;
- Be in good health condition;
- Be a Filipino citizen;
- Have passed the admission requirements for graduate studies at any of the DOST identified institutions; and
- Have passed the interview and other screening procedures.

Among the privileges that DOST scholars will be receiving are:

Scholarship Privileges for 2012-2013	MS	PhD
Tuition & other school fees	Actual	Actual
Stipend	15,000/mo.	23,000/mo.
Transportation Allowance*	7,500/yr	7,500/yr
Group Insurance	500/yr	500/yr
Thesis / Dissertation	30,000.00	60, 000

^{*given only to those who will study outside their home province}

The scholarship awardees may choose from any of the following priority fields of study which include:

1. Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources
2. Biological Sciences
3. Biotechnology
4. Chemical Sciences
5. Earth, Atmospheric and Space Sciences
6. Environmental Sciences
7. Fisheries and Marine Science
8. Information and Communication Technology
9. Materials Science and Nanotechnology
10. Pure and Applied Mathematics
11. Health and Pharmaceutical Sciences; and
12. Pure and Applied Physics

The scholarship award shall be for full-time graduate studies for the completion of an MS/PhD degree in any of the DOST identified priority fields. Awardees shall execute a Scholarship Agreement with DOST. Furthermore, an evaluation of the academic performance of the scholar based on established policies shall be done to determine the scholarship status every semester or term. A service obligation to be rendered in the Philippines shall be required of the scholars after finishing the MS/PhD degree, i.e. one year for every year of scholarship. And a refund of scholarship grant with interest for non-completion of the graduate program and failure to comply with the service obligation.

Application Form and Brochure about the scholarship can be downloaded at www.sei.dost.gov.ph. Completed application and other documentary requirements may be submitted personally or by mail to the Graduate Office of the Science Consortium Member Universities, DOST Councils and SEI.

For more inquiries, please contact Ms. Josephine B. Nohay at telephone numbers (062) 991-1024.

ZCHRD Conducts Health Research Ethics Review Training

As per DOST Administrative Order 001 s. 2007, which requires for the review of all health researches involving human subjects/participants, some 60 participants coming from different colleges and universities, and other government institutions all over the Zamboanga Peninsula attended the 1^st Health Research Ethics Review Training conducted by the Zamboanga Consortium for Health Research and Development (ZCHRD) last November 10 & 11, 2011 at the Marcian Garden Hotel Poolside Restaurant in Zamboanga City.

Dr. Marita V.T. Reyes, Clinical Professor at the UP Manila College of Medicine and Co-chair of the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB) talked about the “Guidelines & Principles in the Ethical Conduct of Health Research, Risk-Benefit Assessment, and the Accreditation of Ethics Review Committees” (per DOST Administrative Order 001 s. 2008).

Professor Edlyn Jimenez-Santos, research professor at the UP-National Institutes of Health spoke about the “Guidelines in conducting research among vulnerable persons, ethical conduct of investigations & sponsors, and addressing conflict of interest in ethical review”.

The said event was primarily aimed at training the participants to determine the adherence/violations of research proposals to ethical principles; make appropriate recommendations as needed to adhere to ethical principles; and to analyze decisions/actions to be taken by members of health research ethics review committees given hypothetical situations. The training is essential for the institutionalization of the ethics review process for all researches to be undertaken by the consortium and its member institutions.

ZCHRD is an organization created to optimize the use of research to help alleviate the health and nutrition problems of the people in Region IX, with financial and technical support of the DOST’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD). The consortium is chaired by Dr. Teresita Montano of Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU) while DOST IX serves as consortium secretariat.