IPHASA grants

The International Paediatric HIV Symposium in Africa (IPHASA) convened for the first time in November 2021 at a virtual meeting with the theme, Leaving no child with HIV behind: Efficiencies, innovation and stakeholder engagement in service delivery. The Ministry of Health of Uganda leads the IPHASA Organizing Committee in partnership with the Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER) of IAS – the International AIDS Society – and representatives of several ministries of health and leading organizations in paediatric HIV.

IPHASA aims to enable discussion of the latest science and build the capacity of healthcare workers and policy makers in implementing evidence-based approaches in the response to paediatric HIV across Africa. The overall objective is to facilitate the translation of evidence and good practices in the paediatric HIV response for implementation and adaptation across the African continent.

IPHASA is providing two new implementation science grants: a peer learning visit grant; and an implementation science research grant. To be eligible, the applicant must come from a low- or middle-income country in Africa according to the World Bank classification. In line with IPHASA objectives, these grants aim to support knowledge sharing and help close the know-do gap (the gap between what we know works [evidence-based interventions] and what we do in practice) by identifying and addressing the barriers and solutions that affect the delivery of health interventions and evidence-based practices in paediatric HIV prevention, care, and treatment.

Supporting resources

The deadline to submit an application is 9 May 2022, 23:59 CEST

Peer Learning Visit Grant

This is a travel grant to support one African country team of 3-5 people in visiting another country team that has successfully implemented a strategy and/or programme of interest that was presented at IPHASA 2021. The applying team should be able to indicate the gap in its programme and how the strategy and/or programme of interest learnt at IPHASA 2021 will help address the gap. Teams are encouraged to work with at least one Ministry of Health official responsible for a paediatric HIV programme in their home country. We have no restrictions on how many applications per country can be submitted. This support will include funding to attend the 2nd IPHASA (2023) to report on progress and results.

This request for proposals serves to invite interested:

  • Ministry of Health teams
  • Academics
  • Community researchers
  • Non-governmental organizations
  • Other implementers

Proposed visit should identify and address a gap in their programme and how a peer learning visit to another African country could help address that gap. The study should also indicate how the results could help develop a research application, updating the existing programme with a robust evaluation.

To be eligible, the team leader must:

  • Hold an MSc, MD, MBChB, MBBS, PhD or equivalent degree at time of grant
  • Currently work with a public health institution (for example, Ministry of Health or within a hospital) or public health organization within one of the eligible countries. Applicants with research skills in public health and implementation science are also welcome to apply.
  • Have a strong interest in public health research focused on paediatric HIV
  • Provide a letter of support from the applicant’s institution
  • Have a research mentor, preferably in a low- or middle-income country with extensive experience in the field of paediatric HIV or expertise in implementation science
  • Be able to report back on progress at the next IPHASA in Q4 of 2023

The application can be submitted only through the online submission system and in the format provided. Applications not submitted through the online system will not be accepted. We welcome applications written in English or in French. Please note that as you complete your application online, you will be able to save your modifications and go back to the updated version of your form later. The application must include the following sections:

  • Introduction and background
  • Description of the country team
  • Proposed timelines
  • Specification of the gap in their programme and how the strategy and/or programme of interest could be implemented in their home country
  • Budget
  • Excepted takeaways from the trip
  • Expectations for the intended outcomes after the travel
Apply now

Implementation Science Research Grant

IPHASA will award three grants worth USD 12,500, for African researchers to conduct implementation science projects to address implementation gaps in their countries paediatric HIV prevention, care and treatment program. Each grantee will be invited to connect to one IPHASA mentor from the organizing committee who will provide technical support throughout the period of implementation of the research. This grant includes additional funding for the three grant recipients to attend IPHASA 2023 to present research findings.

This request for proposals serves to invite interested Ministry of Health teams and academic and community researchers to evaluate paediatric HIV interventions, policies and programmes using an implementation science framework to improve the implementation of paediatric HIV care and/or prevention.

Proposed studies should identify and address implementation gaps in existing evidence-based interventions, policies and/or programmes across the paediatric HIV care and/or prevention continuum. Implementation gaps in the following areas should be considered:

  • Paediatric HIV case identification
  • Linkage to care
  • Prevention of mother-to-child transmission
  • ART initiation and optimization
  • Retention in care
  • Viral load suppression
  • Psychosocial support
  • Community engagement and support
  • Integration of non-communicable diseases in HIV, including mental health
  • Health system strengthening for improved paediatric HIV services
  • Positive HIV prevention among adolescent living with HIV

To be eligible, applicants (principal investigator) must:

  • Hold an MSc, MD, MBChB, MBBS, PhD or equivalent degree at time of grant
  • Currently work with a public health institution (for example, Ministry of Health or within a hospital) or public health organization within one of the eligible countries. Applicants with research skills in public health and implementation science are also welcome to apply.
  • Have a strong interest in public health research focused on paediatric HIV
  • Have a research mentor, preferably in a low- or middle-income country with extensive experience in the field of paediatric HIV or expertise in implementation science. (the IPHASA committee can help identify an in country mentor)
  • Be able to complete the proposed research within the 18-month grant period (mid-2022 to end-2023), providing evidence resulting from the research, and to report back at the next IPHASA in Q4 of 2023.
  • Provide a letter of support from the applicant’s institution, as well as a copy of the applicant’s degree or diploma

The application can be submitted only through the online submission system and in the format provided. Applications not submitted through the online system will not be accepted. We welcome applications written in English or in French. Please note that as you complete your application online, you will be able to save your modifications and go back to the updated version of your form later. The application must include the following sections:

  • Introduction and background
  • Specific aims
  • Specification of the evidence-based intervention and evidence of gaps in implementation
  • Implementation framework, outcomes and methodology
  • Data evaluation and analysis plan
  • Proposed timelines
  • Budget
  • Intended deliverables, including a plan to disseminate results to relevant stakeholders
Apply now

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