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The 2005 ATPS Annual Conference and Workshop, Mombasa, Kenya
The Programme on Strengthening Health Technology Policy in Africa was launched in 2005 when ATPS and the New Partnership for Africa's Development's (NEPAD) Science and Technology (S&T) Secretariat held a five-day conference and workshop on 28 November - 2 December 2005 in Mombasa, Kenya.
The main aim of the conference was to deliberate on how African countries can tap the existing science and technology potential and build the necessary skills, competence and expertise to address the ever increasing disease burden and other related health challenges in the continent. The conference, organized under the theme, "Science and Technology and Health Innovation Systems in Africa", brought together over 80 participants representing various stakeholder groupings from at least 21 African countries.
The conference was organized around specific themes identified in the NEPAD health strategy, the ATPS health programme, the themes of the WHO Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health (CIPIH) as well as other regional and international initiatives in Africa. The specific themes addressed the following issues:
- National Systems of Innovation and its Applications to Health Systems in Africa
- Health Science, Innovation and Technology Policy Research Priorities for Africa
- Brain Drain, Training and Institutional Capacity Building Needs
- National, Regional and International Programmes and Initiatives: Harmonization, Linkages and Collaborations
- Cultural Norms, Empowerment and Behavioural Change in the Fight against HIV/AIDS and other Communicable Diseases
The NEPAD Health Strategy and the ATPS Programme on Health Technology Policy in Africa have points of common interest, and are both geared towards supporting the achievements of major initiatives, such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and others. The joint conference was also intended to strengthen collaboration between ATPS and NEPAD.
The conference was followed by a workshop where 15 country presentations on the status of health technology policy and innovation systems were made. After the workshop, research teams wrote proposals for funding consideration under the Health Innovation Systems (HIS) sub-programme.
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