ASTMH News
January 2012
1. ASTMH and AJTMH Focus on Haiti Two Years After Earthquake
The January AJTMH spotlights the progress made and challenges still facing those suffering from the 2010 earthquake and cholera outbreak in Haiti. Read what the medical community, government organizations and advocates alike can do to speed progress and learn for preparedness planning.
AJTMH Editorial by Paul Farmer and Louise Ivers
Read the editorial by Partners In Health Co-Founder (and 60th Annual Meeting plenary speaker) Paul E. Farmer, MD, PhD, and 2011 Bailey K. Ashford Medal winner Louise Ivers, MD, MPH, DTM&H. Read Cholera and Haiti: The Equity Agenda and the Future of Tropical Medicine.
ASTMH President Kazura: "We can and should do better than this."
On the second anniversary of the Haiti earthquake, ASTMH joined with its global partners releasing a statement expressing frustration over the lack of progress. "While the global health and international aid organizations are working to rebuild Haiti's infrastructure, far too many of its citizens are still without access to clean water, medicine and supplies," said James W. Kazura, MD, ASTMH President. "We can and should do better than this." Read the full statement.
2. WHO, PAHO, CDC, Haiti and Dominican Republic Launch Call to Action to Eliminate Cholera
The governments of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, WHO, PAHO, CDC and other key partners launched a Call to Action for Accelerating the Elimination of Cholera in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, promoting greater awareness and international community investment to move from cholera control to cholera elimination through essential investments in water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure on the Island of Hispaniola.
Presenters included 60th Annual Meeting plenary speaker Mirta Roses Periago, MD, Director of PAHO; Kevin M. DeCock, MD, FRCP (UK), DTM&H, Director, Center for Global Health, CDC; and representatives from the governments of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Read more about the event.
3. ASTMH Commends Secretary Sebelius on New HHS Global Health Strategy
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, ASTMH commended the development and release of The Global Health Strategy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The document outlines the continued efforts in the areas of research and development, global health surveillance, prevention of infectious disease and support for the Global Health Initiative.
ASTMH reinforced its standing offer to work with the Secretary as she implements the plan. Read more at the ASTMH blog.
4. Renew Your Membership Now; Students Renew for $15/$25
Please renew your membership in the world's premier Society for tropical medicine, hygiene and global health professionals. Stand with your professional Society in advocacy for increased funding for research and development.
Students and trainees, kick off your career in tropical medicine by becoming a member for only $15/$25 a year! Your voice is needed to give the Society some perspective from those just beginning their careers. You will receive discounted Annual Meeting registration, benefit from unmatched networking opportunities and the opportunity to learn from the world's leaders in tropical medicine and global health. Renew your membership--or become a new member of ASTMH--now.
5. AJTMH in the News and in Social Media
As more people use social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, it was only a matter of time before social media became part of the story itself. In the January AJTMH, one study finds that Twitter and other social media channels played an integral role in the tracking of cholera in Haiti after the earthquake. Below are some of the major news outlets that reported on this phenomenon:
Haiti: Cholera Epidemic's First Victim Identified as River Bather Who Forsook Clean Water (Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report/The New York Times)
How Cholera in Haiti Began (CNN)
Social Media Tracks Disease Spread (Scientific American)
Doctors Track Haiti Cholera Epidemic on Twitter (Reuters AlertNet/UK)
Study: Internet Can Track Disease Outbreak (United Press International)
6. We Are Listening: 60th Annual Meeting Feedback
Thank you to those who responded to the survey about the 60th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. We are eager to improve your meeting experience. Below are a few common themes from the responses:
--Wi-Fi access. This is at the top of our request list as we begin each year's planning. We continue to explore options for free Internet access throughout the meeting space, but thus far hotel's fees range up to $60,000, putting universal Wi-Fi out of reach. In the meantime, ASTMH created the Cyber Cafe to give attendees the ability to check their email and browse the Internet without charge while at the meeting.
--Food and beverage. We are incorporating many of your suggestions and ideas into our planning with this year's hotel. It is a priority for the Society to keep the meeting fees as low as possible. We work with the hotel or convention site to provide adequate food and beverage service while continuing to hold the cost down. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide full meal service throughout the week due to the high cost.
--Hotel and exhibit space. The Annual Meeting is growing! The Phildelphia meeting was the highest attendance with 3,787. To help you have a productive meeting experience, we are committed to securing the most accessible and efficient hotel and exhibit space. We negotiate with every major hotel in each city we go to. Join us in Atlanta this year, November 11-15, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.
7. 2012 Timetable: Symposia and Abstract Deadlines/Award and Fellowship Applications
The following are application deadlines for Awards and Fellowships. Stay tuned to the ASTMH website for updates:
Call for Annual Meeting Symposia
--Symposium submission guidelines will be available in late January.
--Symposium proposal deadline is March 6.
Call for Annual Meeting Abstracts
--Call for Abstracts will be issued in mid-March.
--Abstract submission deadline is May 1.
Fellowship Application Deadlines
--Benjamin H. Kean Traveling Fellowship in Tropical Medicine: March 7
--Robert E. Shope International Fellowship in Infectious Diseases: mid-May
--Centennial Travel Award in Basic Science Tropical Disease Research: mid-June
--Gorgas Memorial Institute Research Award: mid-July
--Burroughs Wellcome Fund/ASTMH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Tropical Infectious Diseases: late August
8. International Congress on Tropical Medicine and Malaria: Early Registration Ends January 7
Take advantage of an early registration discount by making plans to attend the 18th International Congress on Tropical Medicine and Malaria and the 48th Congress of the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine, Sept. 23-27, 2012, at the Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro (formerly the Hotel Intercontinental). The meeting's theme is "Neglected Tropical Diseases" and the early registration rate is good through January 17. For more information visit the official meeting website.