Opportunities from around the web:


Call for comment, Draft National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, Department of Environmental Affairs

The Department of Environmental Affairs has released its latest draft of the country's climate change adaptation strategy. The 58-page document now includes more extensive background summarising the impacts of climate change for South Africa as well as objectives, interventions and outcomes. The strategy recommends that the health department — for instance — launch a national climate change and health flagship programme. But it also points out that there is a lack of understanding of the linkages between climate and health in South Africa (e.g. quantitative link between high temperatures and mortality). 

The public is invited to comment on the draft. Submissions can be emailed to smbanjwa@environment.gov.za. For any queries regarding the draft or the process, please contact Sibonelo Mbanjwa on 012 399 9175 or Tlou Ramaru on 012 399 9252.

Deadline: 4 June
Download the draft 



Call for abstracts, 15th Public Health Association of South Africa (Phasa) Conference — Cape Town

The call for abstracts for Phasa's 15th annual conference is now open. This year's theme is "The Right to Health — 25 years into our Constitutional democracy". 

The conference will focus on the status of healthcare in South Africa since the fall of apartheid and what the country can do to move closer to achieving the targets of the National Development Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals as well as universal health coverage.

Abstract themes include reflections on the burden of disease, National Health Insurance preparedness and the social determinants of health.

Deadline: 31 May
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Call for registrations, National Science and Technology Forum: Sustainable development and the chemical elements — Gauteng

Registrations are now open for the National Science and Technology Forum's event. The meeting will look at the role that essential elements play in diet, health and food production. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points will be awarded to attendees who are part of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions.

Deadline: 13 May
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Call for female experts in any field, Quote This Woman+ — Various locations

Quote This Woman+ is a project of the non-profit Media Monitoring Africa to establish an online database of women and non-binary experts to improve gender representation in sourcing among the media. 

Keen to be quoted? Submit your details to kathy@augury.co.za. 

Deadline: N/A
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Call for applications, Mandela Institute for Development Studies (Minds): Diamond Empowerment Fund Scholarship — South Africa

The application process is now open for the Minds Diamond Empowerment Fund Scholarship. The opportunity is open to post-graduate students in fields that show potential for improving the quality of life of people on the African continent.

Preference will be given to students who want to gain critical skills in short supply on the continent such as biotechnology and neuroscience.

Only students from Angola, Botswana, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe may apply.

Deadline: 31 May
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Wits Up to SPAED 2019 Conference — 20 to 23 June, Johannesburg

Organised by the Wits Paediatric Fund, the 7th annual Up to SPAED conference will discuss the latest trends and research in paediatrics and child health in areas such as genetic disorders and therapy as well as drug-resistant infections in infants.

Pre-conference workshops on research in the modern era and radiotherapy will be offered as well as a full day of psychosocial activities with a strong patient focus.

The meeting serves as a fundraiser to assist the three main teaching hospitals in Johannesburg that train paediatricians and allied health workers in related fields. 

Deadline: 7 June 
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Community support adviser, UNAids — Botswana

UNAids seeks to appoint a community support adviser to be based in Gaborone, Botswana on a fixed-term contract of two years.

The adviser will report to the UNAids country director and will work in close collaboration with the departments of community support, social justice and inclusion. They will foster engagement and coordination among civil society organisations in country-level decision-making mechanisms. The adviser will also provide support to the Joint UN Team on Aids.

The successful candidate will have an advanced university degree in social science, public health, human rights or international development. A specialisation in one of these complemented by a degree or studies in international relations, public administration or a social science will be considered an advantage. Successful applicants must have a minimum of five years' experience.

Deadline: 10 May
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Call for entries, Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology

Young scientists can now send in their entries for the Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology.

The prize is for outstanding contributions to neurobiological research based on methods of molecular and cell biology. Only researchers under the age of 35 can apply.

The grand prize is US$25 000 and the researcher who walks away with it will have an essay about their research published in the journal Science. The winner will also receive full support to attend the prize ceremony held in conjunction with the Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in the United States as well as a 10-year membership to the American Association for the Advancement of Science and online subscription to Science and an invitation to visit Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany. 

Deadline: 15 June
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Call for comment, Draft enforcement policy, Office of Health Standards Compliance 

The Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) is responsible for monitoring healthcare to improve quality as well as reporting non-compliance of prescribed norms and standards.

This 16-page draft policy sets out a vision for how the office will enforce compliance among health facilities. The document proposes six ways to deal with non-compliant healthcare facilities: Written warnings; request for a written response from management; fines; prosecution; referrals to a relevant authority or revocation of the facility’s certificate of compliance and closure.

Comments or enquiries can be directed to Adv Makhwedi Makgopa-Madisa at mmakgopa-madisa@ohsc.org.za.

Deadline: 26 June 
Download the draft legislation



Call for abstracts, Public Health Association of South Africa, 16 to 18 September — Cape Town

Abstract submissions are now open for the Public Health Association of South Africa’s annual meeting, entitled, “The Right to Health – 25 years into our Constitutional Democracy”.

The conference will seek to tackle, among other issues, existing inequalities within the health system and crises in provincial health departments.

Abstracts of no more than 350 words are currently being accepted in the areas of scientific as well as operational research on issues such as health economics, violence and injuries and bioethics and health law. 

Deadline: 31 May
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