11 September 2019 – In March 2018, the Tropical Disease Research–Small Grants Scheme (TDR-SGS) 2018–2019 call for proposals was announced.
In response, proposals were received and 16 were recommended for funding, covering: neglected tropical diseases, malaria, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, and HIV. The accepted proposals were from 7 countries: Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Sudan and Yemen (Table 1).
The call included a list of regional priorities, including:
- Evaluation of new models/interventions for implementation of ambulatory MDR-TB
- Cost–effectiveness of new diagnostic tools for multiple drug resistance (MDR) detection in both public and private heath sectors
- Improving collaboration and reporting of TB cases with the private sector in high TB burden countries
- Avoiding catastrophic cost of TB diagnosis and management on families
- Plasmodium vivax burden in EMR endemic African countries
- Improving access to malaria interventions, including surveillance for remote, migrant and mobile populations
- Enhancing community engagement for implementation of vector control interventions, especially for remote and vulnerable populations
- Assessing the burden of co-infection of malaria and Aedes-borne arboviral diseases
- Evaluating and comparing preventive measures to reduce/interrupt transmission of leishmaniasis
- Innovative approaches to increase detection of new cases of leprosy
- Investigating determinants of transmission of schistosomiasis in hotspots in late stage of elimination
- Innovative approaches for facial cleanliness and environmental improvement components of the SAFE strategy for trachoma elimination
- Analysis study of the economic impact of hepatitis C prevention and treatment intervention scenarios
- Integrated bio-behavioural surveys and population size estimates among key populations
- Improving access to diagnostic and management tools for HIV, hepatitis B, C infections
- Integrated use of multi-disease diagnostic devices for HIV, hepatitis B & C
- Effective and feasible strategies for engagement of the private sector for effective case management and reporting (TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis)
- Investigating determinants of transmission of schistosomiasis in hotspots in late stage of elimination.
- Innovative approaches for facial cleanliness and environmental improvement components of the SAFE1 strategy for trachoma elimination.
- Analysis study of the economic impact of hepatitis C prevention and treatment intervention scenarios.
- Integrated bio-behavioural surveys and population size estimates among keypopulations2.
- Improving access to diagnostic and management tools for HIV, hepatitis B, C infections.
- Integrated use of multi-disease diagnostic devices for HIV, hepatitis B & C.
- Effective and feasible strategies for engagement of the private sector for effective case management and reporting (TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis).
Table 1. The 16 small grant projects recommended for funding
Country |
Grantee |
Project |
Principal Investigator |
Palestine |
Medicare Consultancy Group - Leishmaniases Research Unit |
Fogging of hyrax dens by Pyrethroid derivatives: an attempt to control sandfly density in rural areas in Palestine |
Dr Amer Al-Jawabreh |
Morocco |
Ecole Nationale De Sante Publique (ENSP) |
Cost-effectiveness and acceptability of a rapid diagnostic test for cutaneous leishmaniasis in Morocco |
Dr Issam Bennis |
Sudan |
Sudanese National Academy of Sciences |
Strengthening of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) control in Eastern Sudan. |
Dr Abdalla Hassan Sharief |
Islamic Republic of Iran |
Trauma Research Centre |
Cost of HCV interfamilial Screening in HCV seropositive injection drug abusers |
Dr Zahra Mohtasham |
Egypt |
National Liver Institute, Menoufia University |
Estimating economic burden of HCV treatment strategies in Egypt 2018-2025. |
Dr Alaa Osman |
Sudan |
FMOH-International Health-National training Activities |
Feasibility of Provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling(PITC) in private healthcare sectors, Sudan 2018-2019 |
Dr Sarah Mohammed |
Egypt |
Ministry of Health |
Economic analysis of HCV different screening algorithms in Egypt |
Dr Amal Moawad |
Egypt |
Ministry of Health and Population |
Assessing household catastrophic total cost of Tuberculosis and their determinants in Egypt: A cohort prospective study |
Dr Mohsen Gadallah |
Egypt |
Cairo Association Against Smoking, Tuberculosis And Lung Diseases-Egypt (CASTLE) |
Impact of private medical practitioners’ involvement on Tuberculosis case notification to the National Tuberculosis Control Program in Ghrbia governorate, Egypt. |
Dr Essam El Moghazy |
Pakistan |
Establishment of Environmental Health |
Is Tuberculosis treatment truly free? A study to identify key factors contributing towards the catastrophic cost of TB care in Pakistan |
Prof Brig Dr Aamer Ikram |
Sudan |
National Public Health Laboratory - Federal Ministry of Health, Sudan |
Estimation of the risk factors associated with multidrug resistance TB in Sudan |
Adel Elduma |
Yemen |
University of Science and Technology |
Assessment of the burden of concurrent infections with malaria and dengue among febrile patients in Hodeidah governorate, Yemen |
Dr Rashad Abdul-Ghani |
Sudan |
Institute of Endemic Diseases |
Assessing the burden of co-infection of malaria and Aedes-borne arboviral diseases in the Khartoum state, Sudan |
Dr Ayman Ahmed |
Sudan |
National Public Health Laboratory - Federal Ministry of Health, Sudan |
Occurrence of Malaria and Dengue co-infection and their vectors surveys in a kassala city, Sudan |
Khider Alebid daffalah alsedig |
Pakistan |
District Development Association Tharparkar (DDAT) |
Effects of vector-control interventions on changes in risk of malaria among pregnant women through community participation in district Tharparkar Sindh Pakistan. |
Dr Ramesh Kumar |
Egypt |
High Institute of Public Health |
Determinants of Schistosoma mansoni transmission in hotspots at late stage of elimination, Kafr El Sheikh governorate |
Dr Ramy Ghazy |