Page 83 – Public Health Update

World Glaucoma Week, March 6-12, 2022

by Public Health Update March 7, 2022

Overview

World Glaucoma Week is celebrated on March 6-12, 2022. World Glaucoma Week is a global initiative of the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) aims to raise awareness on glaucoma.

‘The world is bright, save your sight’

Facts

Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive, degenerative disorder of the optic nerve that produces characteristic visual field damage. Glaucoma is the second cause of blindness, and importantly: it is irreversible.
It is estimated that around 80 million people have glaucoma worldwide. Approximately 50% of the individuals with glaucoma are unaware that they have the disease, and this number may be even higher in underdeveloped countries.
Glaucoma is the first cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.
It is estimated that approximately 50% of glaucoma cases are undiagnosed.
While it is true that the disease is incurable, it is also true that 90% of the blindness caused by glaucoma could be prevented by early detection and treatment.
In its early stages, glaucoma is asymptomatic.
If untreated, glaucoma may progress to blindness.
Periodic testing allows early diagnosis to prevent visual disability.

Message

“World Glaucoma Week is a unique initiative that puts a spotlight on glaucoma as the leading cause of preventable irreversible blindness worldwide. The prompt diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma can prevent needless vision impairment, however, so many are unaware they have the disease or may not have access to much-needed care. As the numbers are expected to increase exponentially, it is a growing public health concern that needs more attention and effective eye health systems. The active coming together of the international community with colleagues and key stakeholders through events to stimulate awareness and dialogue is a show of our shared commitment to improving glaucoma care for patients around the world.” – Neeru Gupta MD PhD MBA, President, World Glaucoma Association

Source of info: Institut Català de Retina, World Glaucoma Week, World Glaucoma Association (WGA), www.glaucomapatients.org

World Obesity Day 2022: Everybody Needs to Act!

by Public Health Update March 3, 2022

written by Public Health Update

Overview

The World Obesity Day is a unified day of action that calls for a cohesive, cross-sector response to the obesity crisis takes place on 4 March. It was convened by the World Obesity Federation in collaboration with its global members. Aim of World Obesity Day is to increase awareness, encourage advocacy, improve policies and share experiences around obesity.

More than one in three low- and middle-income countries face both extremes of malnutrition

The mission of World Obesity Day is to

Increase awareness
Encourage advocacy
Improve policies
Share experiences

Obesity is defined by the World Health Organisation as ‘abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health’. It is most commonly measured by BMI, though there are other methods such as waist and height rations, that taken with BMI, can be more accurate.

Facts

Obesity affects nearly one in six adults worldwide.
800 million people around the world are aected by obesity.
It is caused by a variety of factors, including biology, mental health, genetic risk, environment, healthcare access, and access to ultra-processed food.
Its medical consequences will cost over $1 trillion by 2025. Improved investment in treatment and prevention is needed to reduce these costs.
People living with obesity are twice as likely to be hospitalized if tested positive for Covid-19.
The number of children living with obesity is predicted to increase by 60% worldwide over the next decade, reaching 250 million by 2030.

Key Findings (Nepali & English) – The 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (2016 NDHS)

Prevention

Lowering the risk of overweight and obesity includes reducing the number of calories consumed from fats and sugars, increasing the portion of daily intake of fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts, and engaging in regular physical activity (60 minutes per day for children and 150 minutes per week for adults).
In babies, studies have shown that exclusive breastfeeding from birth to 6 months of age reduces the risk of infants becoming overweight or obese.

Source of info: World Obesity Day & WHO.

Singapore medicines regulator world’s first to achieve highest maturity level in WHO classification

by Public Health Update March 2, 2022

written by Public Health Update

Out of 28 countries formally assessed by WHO, Singapore is the first to have achieved the highest maturity level (ML 4) in WHO’s classification of regulatory authorities for medical products. Achieving ML 4 brings Singapore closer to becoming a WHO listed authority, a new scheme that will be operational later this year and will list the world’s regulators of reference.

“This is great recognition of Singapore’s achievement and very good news for the broader region,” said Martin Taylor, WHO Western Pacific Region Director of Health Systems & Services and acting Director for Data, Strategy & Innovation. “Singapore already helps several neighbouring countries to expedite their medicines assessments and this WHO classification may also encourage other countries and areas to continue strengthening their medicines oversight.”

Regulation of medical products is extremely important for all health systems and for access to quality vaccines, medicines and other health products. Apart from ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of medical products, regulatory authorities that function well also perform critical functions such as faster authorization of products and drug safety monitoring after authorization.

WHO’s assessment of regulatory authorities is based on the ‘Global Benchmarking Tool’ – an evaluation tool that checks regulatory functions against a set of more than 260 indicators – covering core regulatory functions such as product authorization, testing of products, market surveillance and the ability to detect adverse events – to establish their level of maturity and functionality. Regulatory authorities that reach maturity levels 3 and 4 will be considered eligible for inclusion among WHO-listed authorities, after additional evaluation of their performance.

The benchmarking of Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) was carried out by a WHO-led team of international experts. In late 2021, WHO conducted a formal evaluation of the Authority and the HSA was found to perform well against the indicators of the Global Benchmarking Tool.

“The Health Sciences Authority of Singapore is honoured to have achieved maturity level 4 in WHO’s recent global benchmarking assessment,” said Dr Choong May Ling, Mimi, Chief Executive Officer, Health Sciences Authority, Singapore. “This achievement is a significant milestone and affirmation for Singapore as the first WHO Member State to have reached this highest maturity level for our medicines regulatory system. I believe this achievement will boost public confidence and trust in the system. I look forward to HSA sustaining our culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement and continuing our strong collaboration with WHO in regulatory systems strengthening.”

Fewer than 30% of the world’s medicines regulatory authorities are considered to have the capacity to perform the functions required to ensure medicines, vaccines and other health products work and do not harm patients. For that reason, WHO has intensified efforts to bolster the capacity to regulate medical products in all regions and is working to strengthen regulatory networks where the most advanced regulatory authorities can act as lighthouses for regulators with fewer resources or which have not yet reached maturity.

“The core of WHO’s work is to empower countries through support and knowledge sharing so that they can expand access to health services for their populations,” said Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant Director General for Access to Medicines and Other Health Products. “If countries want to improve health outcomes, if they want to be able to address health emergencies and expand local production, they first need to be able to ensure access to safe and quality medical products that actually work and benefit patients.”

WHO NEWS

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World Hearing Day 2022: To hear for life, listen with care!

by Public Health Update March 2, 2022

written by Public Health Update

Overview

The World Hearing Day is held on 3 March each year aims to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote safe listening. The World Hearing Day 2022 is focused on the importance of safe listening as a means of maintaining good hearing across the life course. The theme for 2022 is “To hear for life, listen with care” will focus on the importance and means of hearing loss prevention through safe listening.

Facts & key messages

More than 5% of the global population lives with hearing loss. The majority of these people live in low- and middle-income countries.
Many causes of hearing loss, including noise-induced hearing loss, are avoidable. Among children (aged 0–14 years), as much as 60% of hearing loss is attributed to preventable causes.
Nearly 50% of teenagers and young adults (12–35 years of age) – i.e., 1.1 billion young people– are at risk of hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds, through listening to music on smartphones and audio players, or at music gigs and clubs.
It is estimated that by 2050 this number could increase by over 50% to 700 million.
It is possible to have good hearing across the life course through ear and hearing care
Many common causes of hearing loss can be prevented, including hearing loss caused by exposure to loud sounds
‘Safe listening’ can mitigate the risk of hearing loss associated with recreational sound exposure
WHO calls upon governments, industry partners and civil society to raise awareness for and implement evidence-based standards that promote safe listening.

Unsafe listening

Unsafe listening refers to the common practices of listening to music or other audio content at loud levels or for prolonged time periods. Sensory cells in the ears can start to become damaged by prolonged exposure to loud sounds. Listening to sounds at 80 dB for 40 hours a week is the limit of safe listening.

How can hearing be protected?

Keeping the volume down.
Limiting time spent engaged in noisy activities
Monitoring listening levels.
Protecting ears from loud sounds.
Heeding the warning signs of hearing loss.
Regular hearing checks are recommended – especially for those listening to music regularly or visiting loud entertainment venues.

Recommended readings

Source of info: World Health Organization.

#safelistening #worldhearingday #hearingcare

March 2, 2022 0 comments

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World Birth Defects Day: “Many Birth Defects, One Voice”

by Public Health Update March 2, 2022

written by Public Health Update

By Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia

On World Birth Defects Day, WHO and its Member States in the South-East Asia Region and globally are raising their collective voice to increase awareness for all birth defects and improve access to quality care and treatment. In 2019 birth defects accounted for more than 530 000 deaths globally, including more than 117 000 deaths in the Region – around 22% of the global total. They were the third most common cause of child mortality in the Region, and the fourth most common cause of neonatal mortality, constituting 12% of all neonatal deaths.

In addition to mortality, birth defects can cause long term morbidity and disability, which in low- and middle-income countries, can strain health system, social and family resources. In all countries of the Region, WHO will continue to intensify efforts to increase birth defect prevention, surveillance, care and research, accelerating the World Birth Defects Day (WBDD) movement.

Amid the COVID-19 response, WHO continues to support all countries of the Region to protect, defend and advance progress in all areas of health, including to accelerate reductions of maternal, neonatal and under-five mortality – since 2014, a Flagship Priority. All Member States have in place national action plans to prevent and control birth defects, and have initiated hospital-based birth defects surveillance. Six Member States – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar and Nepal – continue to provide high-quality data to a WHO-supported online surveillance database, which by the end of 2021, had registered more than 4 million births, including around 45 000 babies born with birth defects. As part of Region-wide efforts to eliminate measles and rubella by 2023 – another Flagship Priority – all countries of the Region have introduced rubella vaccination of girls, reporting an average 83% coverage. Several Member States now fortify foods such as wheat flour with folic acid, vitamin B-12 and iron, and include interventions for common birth defect management and care within national child health programmes. For the Region to achieve key targets and goals – including a 35% reduction in folic acid-preventable neural tube defects, a 50% reduction in thalassemia births, and to eliminate congenital syphilis – several priorities must be addressed.

First, gaps in rubella immunization must be closed, and access to good quality antenatal care improved. Such care should incorporate counselling that encourages pregnant women to avoid unnecessary medications and X-rays, prevent exposure to toxic environmental elements, and avoid harmful products such as tobacco and alcohol.

Second, access to pre-natal screening technologies such as ultrasound must be increased, in addition to clinical and laboratory screening of newborns and infants. Primary health care providers should be trained to support diagnosis and referral, which in most health systems is feasible.

Third, the quality of medical therapy, surgery, rehabilitation and palliative care services must be enhanced, and referral pathways better defined and utlilized. Affected children and their families must have ongoing access to appropriate mental health and psycho-social support services, and be free of stigma and discrimination. Fourth, data collection, monitoring and evaluation must continue to be strengthened, and policies and programmes assessed on an ongoing basis. Equity, efficiency and impact must continue to define all we do.

Our WBDD movement must continue to build. Birth defects are common, costly, and critical. Across the Region, they account for an increasingly large proportion of under-five mortality as other causes continue to decline. Together, we must continue to integrate interventions to increase birth defect prevention, surveillance, care and research across programme areas, accelerating progress towards our Flagship Priorities and “Sustain. Accelerate. Innovate” vision. On World Birth Defects Day, WHO reaffirms its commitment to ensuring every woman and child can survive and thrive, and transform our Region and world.

WHO SEARO

World Birth Defects Day: Calls for More Prevention, Research and Care for Babies

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World Birth Defects Day: Calls for More Prevention, Research and Care for Babies

by Public Health Update March 2, 2022

written by Public Health Update

Overview

The World Birth Defects Day (WBDD) is observed on March 3 each year. WBDD unites stakeholders working in the field of birth defects, also known as congenital anomalies, congenital disorders or congenital conditions to raise awarenss. The first WBDD was observed on 2015 with the aim to provide one global voice and a platform to all organizations and institutions engaged in birth defects related surveillance, research, prevention and care activities.

The major objectives of World Birth Defects Day are;

to prevent birth defects
To Improve care of all individuals with any birth defect and related disabilities
To Increase knowledge of the burden and causes of birth defects through epidemiologic and basic research.

Birth Defects and facts

Birth defects, or congenital anomalies, are conditions that cause structural or functional abnormalities present at birth that can be identified at different stages of infancy. A specific birth defect may be caused by genetics, environmental exposures, infections, maternal nutrition, or other risk factors.
An estimated 240 000 newborns die worldwide within 28 days of birth every year due to birth defects. Birth defects cause a further 170 000 deaths of children between the ages of 1 month and 5 years.
Nine of ten children born with a serious birth defect are in low- and middle-income countries.
Birth defects affect nearly 8 million infants, or 6% of all infants, born globally each year.
The most common severe birth defects are heart defects, neural tube defects and Down syndrome.
Babies who survive may have a good quality of life with appropriate treatment or care, however many infants are at an increased risk for long-term disabilities.
Many birth defects can be prevented and treated. Help spread global awareness for World Birth Defects Day.

Key Message

Birth defects are common, costly and critical.
Folic acid can help prevent birth defects of the brain and spine
Taking 400ug of folic acid daily before and during pregnancy can prevent birth defects.
Consult with your healthcare provider before starting or stopping any medications during pregnancy.
Attend prenatal care appointments and become up-to-date on all vaccines.
Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and taking other drugs during pregnancy.
Birth defects surveillance and research can help improve pregnancy and infant outcomes.

Source of Info: World Birth Defects Day Official website.

#WorldBDDay #ManyBirthDefects1Voice

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March 2, 2022 1 comment

Public Health Opportunities Grants and Funding Opportunities International Jobs & Opportunities PhD Public Health Opportunity

University of Melbourne PhD Position Opportunity (Ph.D. in Healthy Housing)

by Public Health Update March 2, 2022

written by Public Health Update

The Population Interventions Unit, headed by Professor Tony Blakely, in the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics has a PhD position available commencing early 2022. The PhD research project will involve modelling the impacts of housing interventions (e.g. mould, indoor temperature, etc.). The research questions the PhD candidate will tackle are subject to the candidate’s own input. However, we anticipate research questions to address the following:

What is impact of housing interventions (e.g. mould, indoor temperature, etc.) on health gains across life course and how long till the health gains accrue?
What impact these interventions have on health inequalities and health expenditure?
What is the magnitude of the health gains compared to other health sector interventions (e.g. diet, tobacco)?

The candidate should anticipate having one or two ‘main focus’ research questions from the outset and one or two ‘arising’ research questions as the PhD develops.

The PhD will allow the candidate to develop in-depth skills and experience in the following:

Public health – an in-depth understanding of housing and health, and general understanding of population-wide versus targeted interventions, inequalities and the issues involved in policy implementation.
Epidemiology – an in-depth understanding of causal inference (to select the ‘best’ studies for key input parameters to modelling) and the epidemiology underlying population futures (disease incidence, case fatality, morbidity and prevalence; life tables and mortality rates).
Computer simulation and data science –moving beyond the siloed approaches by embracing newer methods (e.g. simulation modeling for evaluation of health gains, and machine learning to model complexity).
Economics – working out an optimal policy setting for society requires getting the epidemiology ‘right’, or at least plausible scenarios with uncertainty given our collective lack of knowledge, and then weaving in costs to the health system and society for a fuller picture. For the interested candidate, there is the opportunity to take the PhD in a full cost effectiveness direction, for example using a net monetary benefit approach to determine an optimal policy.

You will be immersed in the Population Interventions Unit and Team, led by Professor Tony Blakely. Your PhD will be part of the Centre of Research Excellence on Healthy Housing (https://www.healthyhousing-cre.org/ ) led by Professor Rebecca Bentley and the University of Melbourne. The exact mix of supervisors from these teams, and elsewhere, will be negotiated with the successful candidate depending on their selected research questions and skills they wish to obtain.

You will be expected to obtain a competitive University of Melbourne PhD scholarship – meaning you will have excellent grades in your undergraduate courses and studies. The PI Unit and the Healthy Housing CRE will top up your scholarship by $5000 per annum.

ABOUT CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will have:

Masters or Honours degree in Public Health, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Statistics, Data Science or related field.
Strong skills in quantitative analysis
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Additionally:
Publication(s) in peer-reviewed journals and/or evidence of research impact will be highly regarded.
Experience in data analysis and knowledge in computing languages (e.g. Python, R) are highly regarded.
Due to the impacts of COVID-19, we are currently prioritising applications with current valid working rights in Australia and candidates who are not affected by travel restrictions. Please see the latest updates to Australia’s immigration and border arrangements: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/
Outstanding international applicants will still be considered.

ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
Funding comprises of a $5,000 AUD top-up scholarship. In order qualify for a top-up scholarship,
applicants are required to meet the University of Melbourne’s requirements for a Research Higher
Degree candidature and obtain a Graduate Research Scholarship, or otherwise provide self-funding.
Please refer to:
http://mdhs-study.unimelb.edu.au/degrees/doctor-of-philosophy/entry-requirements#entryrequirements
https://scholarships.unimelb.edu.au/awards/graduate-research-scholarships
How to Apply
Please complete the Expression of interest form and send a completed copy, along with your CV, academic transcripts from all prior study and academic references as a single PDF document to Dr Kirsti Hakala Assendelft via email. We also welcome discussions with us prior to completing an Expression of Interest. For further enquiries please contact Prof Tony Blakely via email. Applications will be reviewed as received so please apply as soon as possible.

OFFICIAL INFO AND CONTACT(OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT)

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University of Melbourne PhD Position Opportunity (Ph.D. in Tobacco Control)

by Public Health Update March 2, 2022

written by Public Health Update

The Population Interventions Unit, headed by Professor Tony Blakely, in the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, has a PhD position available commencing early 2022. The PhD research project will delve into the health gains and cost impacts of endgame strategies, alternative nicotine delivery systems, tax inequality and Indigenous Australian impacts, in Australia, New Zealand, and the East Asia and the Pacific region. The research questions the PhD candidate will tackle are subject to the candidate’s own input. However, we anticipate the research to address questions of the following type:

Under what scenarios would liberalization of access to vaping products lead to more health gain than sticking with conventional tobacco control measures?
What package of endgame policies (denicotinisation, retail outlet reduction, a smokefree generation) will get Australia to 5% smoking prevalence the quickest? And with the maximal reduction of socioeconomic and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inequalities?

The candidate should anticipate having one or two ‘main focus’ research questions from the outset and one or two ‘arising’ research questions as the PhD develops. The PhD will allow the candidate to develop in-depth skills and experience in the following:

Public health – an in-depth understanding of tobacco control, and general understanding of population-wide versus targeted interventions, inequalities and the issues involved in policy implementation.
Epidemiology – an in-depth understanding of causal inference (to select the ‘best’ studies for key input parameters to modelling) and the epidemiology underlying population futures (disease incidence, case fatality, morbidity and prevalence; life tables and mortality rates).
Computer simulation and data science – we have (at least) two simulation models the candidate will use and extend. The candidate will learn NetLogo and Python coding of these models.
Economics – working out an optimal policy setting for society requires getting the epidemiology ‘right’, or at least plausible scenarios with uncertainty given our collective lack of knowledge, and then weaving in costs to the health system and society for a fuller picture. For the interested candidate, there is the opportunity to take the PhD in a full cost effectiveness direction, for example using a net monetary benefit approach to determine an optimal policy.

You will be immersed in the Population Interventions Unit and Team, led by Professor Tony Blakely. Your PhD will be part of the Tobacco Endgame Centre of Research Excellence (https://tobacco-endgame.centre.uq.edu.au/) led by Professor Coral Gartner and the University of Queensland. The exact mix of supervisors from these teams, and elsewhere, will be negotiated with the successful candidate depending on their selected research questions and skills they wish to obtain.

You will be expected to obtain a competitive University of Melbourne PhD scholarship – meaning you will have excellent grades in your undergraduate courses and studies. The PI Unit and the Tobacco Endgame CRE will top up your scholarship by $5000 per annum.

ABOUT Candidate
The ideal candidate will have:

Masters or Honours degree in Public Health, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Statistics, Data Science or related field.
Strong skills in quantitative or qualitative analysis
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Additionally:
Publication(s) in peer-reviewed journals and/or evidence of research impact will be highly regarded.
Experience in data analysis and knowledge in computing languages (e.g. R, Python) are highly regarded.
Due to the impacts of COVID-19, we are currently prioritising applications with current valid working rights in Australia and candidates who are not affected by travel restrictions. Please see the latest updates to Australia’s immigration and border arrangements: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/ Outstanding international applicants will still be considered.

ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
Funding comprises of a $5,000 AUD top-up scholarship. In order qualify for a top-up scholarship, applicants are required to meet the University of Melbourne’s requirements for a Research Higher Degree candidature and obtain a Graduate Research Scholarship, or otherwise provide self-funding. Please refer to: http://mdhs-study.unimelb.edu.au/degrees/doctor-of-philosophy/entry-requirements#entryrequirements
https://scholarships.unimelb.edu.au/awards/graduate-research-scholarships

How to Apply
Please complete the Expression of interest form and send a completed copy, along with your CV, academic transcripts from all prior study and academic references as a single PDF document to Dr Kirsti Hakala Assendelft via email. We also welcome discussions with us prior to completing an Expression of Interest.

For further enquiries please contact Prof Tony Blakely via email. Applications will be reviewed as received so please apply as soon as possible.

OFFICIAL INFO AND CONTACT(OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT)

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Rare Disease Day 2022: Equity for People Living with a Rare Disease

by Public Health Update February 28, 2022

written by Public Health Update

Overview

Rare Disease Day is observed every year on 28 February (or 29 in leap years)—the rarest day of the year. Rare Disease Day is the official international awareness-raising campaign for rare diseases which takes place on the last day of February each year.

Rare Disease Day is patient-led, everyone, including individuals, families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, clinicians, policy makers, industry representatives and the general public, can participate in raising awareness and taking action today for this vulnerable population who require immediate and urgent attention.

What is Rare Diseases?

Objective

The main objective of the campaign is to raise awareness amongst the general public and decision-makers about rare diseases and their impact on patients’ lives. Rare Disease Day was launched by EURORDISRare Diseases Europe and its Council of National Alliances in 2008.

Facts

There are over 300 million people worldwide living with a rare disease.
As a vulnerable and neglected population they are disproportionately affected by stigma, discrimination and social marginalization, within their social environment as well as society at large.
Together across borders, and across the 6000+ rare diseases we work towards more equitable access to diagnosis, treatment, care and social opportunity.
There are more than 25 million people affected by rare diseases, and children are the large majority. Many children with rare diseases face bullying and lack of peer acceptance.
72% of rare diseases are genetic
70% of those genetic rare diseases start in childhood.

Rare diseases day 2022: #LightUpForRare

This year for Rare Disease Day 2022 we are calling on everyone to help the rare disease community be united by a chain of lights across the world. In light of COVID-19 this chain will serve as one of the symbolic ways to break isolation globally.

Anyone can contribute whether you are a person living with a rare disease, an individual,a family member, a healthcare professional, an industry representative, or a public official. We encourage you to find a local or national patient organisation to help you spread the word and raise awareness for people living with a rare disease.

Source of info: https://www.rarediseaseday.org/ #RareDiseaseDay

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Johnson & Johnson MSc Global Mental Health Scholarships 2022-23

by Public Health Update February 26, 2022

written by Public Health Update

The MSc Global Mental Health course is a joint programme provided by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London (KCL). The programme of study aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to initiate, develop and oversee mental health programmes and/or policies in low-resource settings, as well as to conduct and critically evaluate research on global mental health. These skills and knowledge will make it possible for students to make valuable contributions in the domains of research, policy and practice as they relate to the discipline of global mental health.

Award

The Janssen Global Mental Health Scholarship Fund was launched in 2012 through a generous donation from Janssen Pharmaceutica (part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies). In 2018, the Johnson & Johnson Scholarship Fund was launched, providing an additional 18 scholarships over five years. This is an annual award until 2022 (for 2022-23 academic year).

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is offering up to three Johnson & Johnson Global Mental Health Scholarships to students accepted onto the 2022-23 MSc Global Mental Health programme.

Each scholarship will cover

full tuition fees at the KCL overseas fee rate;
a stipend (living allowance) of GBP 17,633.00; and
an allowance of GBP 500.00 for MSc project expenses.

Eligibility for funding

Applicants must be nationals of, and ordinarily resident in, one of the following countries:

Africa: Ghana; Kenya; Nigeria; Rwanda; South Africa
South East Asia: Indonesia; Philippines; Thailand; Vietnam
South America: Nicaragua; Peru

This list cannot be changed, and is not negotiable, and therefore we are unable to consider applicants from other countries for this particular scholarship scheme.

Applicants from non-English speaking countries (as specified by the Home Office – UKVI) must meet the minimum English Language Requirements (see Band D) if shortlisted for this funding. Applicants who have been shortlisted for this funding will be required to provide proof of English language proficiency by 23:59 (BST) on Wednesday 25 May 2022 for their scholarship application to be considered any further. This deadline is non-negotiable.

How to apply

To apply for this funding applicants should complete both steps outlined below by the deadlines noted.

Step 1

Submit an application for study for the MSc Global Mental Health programme, with all required documents, through the King’s College London online application portal by 23:59 (GMT) on Sunday 13 February 2022.

Step 2

Submit an online scholarships application, selecting this scholarship option from the drop-down menu by 23:59 (GMT) on Sunday 20 March 2022. The scholarship application must include the following uploaded documents

Either of the following two:
- Proof of your application submission for MSc in Global Mental Health for 2022-23 (This can be a PDF document or screenshot of your submission confirmation email dated on or before Sunday 13 February 2022), or
- Letter of Offer from KCL, for 2022-23 MSc Global Mental Health programme; and
English Proficiency score results if you have this already. (If you do not yet have suitable English proficiency score results these must be obtained and submitted before 23:59 (BST) on Wednesday 25 May 2022 (see further details below).

Please note that incomplete applications for either step will not be considered.

Important application information

Step 1: Programme / study application

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit an application for study to KCL as soon as possible, and as far in advance of the scholarship deadline as possible.
Incomplete applications will not be considered for this funding. Incomplete applications include those with missing supplementary documentation at either/both Steps 1 and 2 above.
Please ensure you pay careful attention to the content of your personal statement on your programme/study application.
- KCL provides the following guidance: ‘We do not normally invite applicants for interview and so the clarity and relevance of the information you provide in your personal statement is of considerable importance to us. In particular, we would like you to describe your academic background and any relevant clinical or research interests, your reasons for applying to our particular postgraduate programme and what you hope to gain from the training we offer, and how you intend to use the knowledge and skills you acquire to further your clinical or research ambitions.’
- To help in reviewing the scholarship applications, in your personal statement, please also 1) note that applicants with relevant but less common disciplinary backgrounds (e.g., social work, health policy, law, health economics, political science, social science etc), should highlight its relevance – and benefits – for Global Mental Health; 2) highlight your relevant work/volunteer experience in areas relevant to mental health e.g., service delivery, research; policy, advocacy, etc; and 3) describe your post-MSc GMH plans and how the knowledge/skills gained from the MSc will contribute to these goals and plans.
Applicants and their referees must be specific about the applicant’s responsibilities and accomplishments in the KCL programme/study application, as these will be used in the decision-making process.
Applicants who have programme-specific questions please contact Ritsuko Kakuma (MSc Global Mental Health Programme Director based at LSHTM) by email.

Step 2: Online scholarship application

By applying for this funding applicants agree to its terms and conditions. Applicants are encouraged to read the information/guidance and Terms & Conditions ahead of submitting their funding application.
Incomplete applications will not be considered for this funding. Incomplete applications include those with missing supplementary documentation at either/both Steps 1 and 2 above. Both the application to study and the scholarship application must be complete by the specified deadlines.
For any queries about the application process, scholarship requirements or application deadline, please contact the LSHTM Scholarships team via email: scholarships@lshtm.ac.uk

Funding selection process

Shortlisted candidates for the scholarship funding will be invited for interviews, which will be held online by Zoom.

Timeline

Application deadline

The deadlines for applications to be considered for the Johnson & Johnson Scholarship Global Mental Health Scholarships are

For KCL Admissions application: 23:59 (GMT) on Sunday 13 February 2022; and
For Scholarships application: 23:59 (GMT) on Sunday 20 March 2022.

Shortlisting Outcome

Notification of the results of shortlisting stage and invitations for an interview will be made by the week beginning Monday 25 April 2022 at the latest.

Interviews

Interviews will typically be held in the first half of May.

Deadline for proof of English language proficiency

If you have been shortlisted for interview and you have not yet submitted your proof of meeting the English Language Requirements, this must be submitted by 23:59 (BST) on Wednesday 25 May 2022 at the latest. A relevant English language test result must have been either uploaded via your KCL admissions application or via the J&J Scholarship application on the relevant portals at the time of submission or sent in by email to MSc Global Mental Health Programme Director, Ritsuko Kakuma, by this deadline. No proof of English language proficiency by this date will mean applicants are no longer eligible for this funding. This is non-negotiable. Those not having submitted this by this time will no longer be considered for the scholarship.

Final decisions

Notification of final result of your application will be made by Friday 27 May 2022.

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Final decisions

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