Pan-African Conference 21 - 24 July 2002 Inter-Continental Hotel ...

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Abstracts 10/22/02 11:26 AM Page 12 S12 dismissed as ‘inappropriate’ in developing countries some decades ago. Now we see that wireless technology decreases the infrastructural needs in resource-poor settings. The IT revolution is similarly a technologically unifying concept, which may actually provide an opportunity for training institutions in low-income countries to catch up on their fellow universities in richer countries. Which are the key factors to promote such a development? The first key factor is hardware. It is necessary for the African universities to mobilise resources to connect to the global internet at to provide affordable connections for both the departments, staff and students. The second key factor is the software. The more internet-based the activities are, the lower the cost for software. The most crucial factor is the people-ware. The faculty members in the universities must acquire the knowledge on how to use the new technology both for teaching and research, a second ‘literacy campaign’ must be carried out and the senior university leaders must be converted to the idea that IT can really make a difference for their university. Providing simple IT courses for university leaders and heads of departments is therefore a strategic move. The students are learning the same things by the extensive use of email and internet facilities. The next step is to make available the teaching information on internet and in this way improve efficiency at the training institutions. The last step is to establish production sites in Africa for appropriate interactive training material so that the training material reflects the challenges of the professional life in the Africa. IT and nutrition in emergencies / La TI et la nutrition en situation précaire Saskia van der Kam Médecins Sans Frontières, Holland Dare to share During the last days we learned what smart software can offer us as it comes to improving assessments, analysis of data, and access to dedicated information, and networking. However the real challenge is how we share he results/outcomes of the information generated by the user of these new technologies. For that reason I would like to refer to my current experience of internet based knowledge-sharing platforms. The NutritionNET is an interactive web-based platform for individuals and groups involved in the food and nutrition sector in the emergency and development aid sector. The overarching goal is to improve the quality of food and nutrition interventions worldwide by promotion of improved interagency cooperation between professionals. Participants are field workers from UN agencies and NGO’s (local and international); researchers lectures and students from academic institutes, specialist working groups (e.g. SCN working groups), and individual nutritionist world wide (e.g. consultants). Participants in NutritionNET have access to information and they can share and manage their own information and discussions by creating their own knowledge clusters and/or participating in existing knowledge clusters. Such a system is different form existing web-sites who envisage the downloading of information in ready to consume parts, where as NutritionNET.net is a working area, where participants are supposed to contribute to the platform, process this information, and manage the access to their knowledge and discussions. The NutritionNET developed out of an existing nutrition network of experts working in the area of emergency aid. NutritionNET is answering the need to communicate with peers on problems met in the field. NutritionNET offers as well a platform for discussions between professionals on interventions strategies in certain areas, research findings, articles, guidelines, protocols and products. A high participation of professionals (academic and field workers) from the affected countries itself is essential to arrive at sensible interventions and to improve capacity building in the regions itself. The NutritionNET began in March 2002 when the interactive system was presented at the SCN (UN Standing Committee on Nutrition) year-meeting in Berlin. The problems we face around food and nutrition are multi-factorial, the solutions multidiciplinary. In order to progress we should share our discussions and problems to other professional groups. NutritionNET is the perfect tool for sharing information, creating and capturing nutritional expertise, but only the commitment and active participation of nutritional professionals can fully explore the benefits of the possibilities of new technologies. IT makes knowledge sharing possible, it is up to the nutrition community to make it really happen. July 2002, Vol. 15, No. 2 SAJCN (Supplement) ABSTRACTS The international nutrition community and information technology: Opportunity and responsibilities / La communauté internationale de la nutrition en face de la TI: opportunités et responsabilités Mark L. Wahlqvist, AO, MD, FRACP President, International Union of Nutritional Sciences One of the best opportunities now available for human development is provided by the conjunction of several rapidly developing technologies – information technology, biotechnology, food technology, nuclear technology, and nano-technology. In a village where literacy rates remain low, where rainfall and agricultural production are limited, and where hunger, malnutrition and infection are rife, it may seem these technologies are irrelevant. But they can be made appropriate, provide empowerment, and speed up economic development, with superior systems of governance. ITANA (Information Technology and Nutrition in Africa) is an exciting initiative of young multi-skilled and talented individuals, enthused by science and technology, disseminating and enjoying the fruits of information, and seizing the moment to shake off the shackles of poverty and disadvantage. The IUNS (International Union of Nutritional Sciences) strongly supports this regional development, and kindred developments in Asia and Latin America. It has affiliated ITANA with the IUNS family of organizations. With the privilege of knowledge and skill in the combined fields of food, health and nutrition, together with information science and technology, goes great responsibility to ensure benefit is obtained by individuals and communities whose health and economic advancement has been limited. Those who can contribute, must, or be held accountable by subsequent generations. Africa will shortly host the Johannesburg Conference for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) from 24 August to 5 September 2002. ITANA could play a key role in making the case for concerted action in this area. Encouraging are the recently published ICSU (International Council for Science) reports which demonstrate a strong commitment by the international science and technology community to sustainable development. There appears to be a gathering coalition to embrace science and technology, along with good governance, to provide for a more food, health, economic and environmentally secure future. IT as a tool for micronutrient nutrition program support in Africa / La TI comme un outil pour le soutien des programmes en nutrition de micronutriments en Afrique Kate Wild Micronutrient Initiative, Canada A number of key factors must be considered if ICTs are to provide effective support to micronutrient nutrition programming and implementation in Africa. These include, inter alia: • institutional actors (international organisations, governmental and nongovernmental, governments, universities and research centres, ngos, professional associations); • program foci (policy, advocacy, training, operations); • information needs (defined in terms of information types, issues, formats and audiences); • availability of ICTs and connectivity; • policies to extend connectivity either at national level or within government ministries; • capacities of participating organisations to use ICTs and to envisage innovative applications to meet their own needs. The strategic introduction of ICTs often requires that two approaches be followed simultaneously. In the first place focused, targeted interventions build on existing information resources by exploiting technologies that are available and accessible to solve specific problems. At the same time, longerterm measures are required to identify high impact information, the blockages. The shorter-term actions will help shape longer-term programs and create capacities to use their products and services. The combination of short-term actions and longer term planning allows for the progressive scaling up and extension of ICT applications. The scope of the programming exercise will determine the exact mix of factors to be incorporated into the supporting ICT strategy. This presentation will focus on the example of the Micronutrient Initiative.
Abstracts 10/22/02 11:26 AM Page 13 The role of FAO in information technology for the advancement of nutrition / Le rôle de la FAO en TI et le développement de la nutrition Tanja Wildemann, FAO, Rome, Italy; DG Gustafson, FAO, Nairobi, Kenya As a consequence of major changes in information technology in the 1990s, computers found their ways into all areas, including food and nutrition. The overwhelming amount of information especially in the internet makes it necessary to establish a sophisticated information management system. The implementation of the World Agricultural Information Centre (WAICENT) was an important step to fight hunger with information. This portal provides access to a large amount of information resources, including documents, statistics, maps and multimedia resources and to capacity building programmes in information management. WAICENT assists with its knowledge and experience all other departments in the development of their numerous projects concerning food security, food safety and human nutrition. Food Security: The Food insecurity and vulnerability information and mapping systems (FIVIMS) are networks of systems, that collect, analyse and disseminate information about food insecurity and vulnerability. Additional systems contribute to the effectiveness of FIVIMS: The software Key Indicators Mapping System (KIMS) facilitates the management of the collected data, the Key Indicators Database System (KIDS) provides internationally comparable data and the Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS) gives further information to foresee and intervene in time in emergency situations. Food Safety: The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), which was established in the early 1960s by FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO), dedicates its work the protection of consumer health and fair practices in food trade. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultations assess the risks related to microbiological hazards, biotechnology and food additives and contaminants. The findings contribute directly to the work of the CAC by providing the scientific basis. Human Nutrition: The Nutrition Country Profiles cover numerous countries and give general information about the country and its population as well as specific data about the food and nutrition situation, which statistical databases are complementing. The regularly publishing of the on-line journal “Food, Nutrition and Agriculture” gives a short and good overview of the efforts made in community nutrition, food quality and safety, food security, etc. The recent project “Feeding minds, fighting hunger” takes advantage of the increasing availability of the internet in the whole world to disseminate a variety of data. This information provides educators with teaching material to introduce their students to the topics of malnutrition and hunger. FAO’s efforts, to make this large amount of information easy accessible through the internet, aim at the assistance and provision of governments with relevant, latest and necessary information for the formulation of agricultural policy and planning in order to improve the well being and standard of living of the population. Other information contribute to the correct estimation of the food and nutrition situation and to a fast and timely intervention in emergency situations. FAO and non-governmental and civil society organizations are cooperating in areas of common interests, e.g. the condition of rural populations and production and distribution of agricultural products. Computer-based tools for educating health professionals about nutrition / Produire du matériel pédagogique interactif Steven H. Zeisel, MD, PhD McGavran-Greenberg Building, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA In this lecture, we will describe how we approached the development of the successful Nutrition in Medicine CD-ROM series that is currently in use at more than 125 medical schools throughout the world. We developed, with funding assistance from the NIH and industry, a series that eventually will consist of 10 CD-ROMs (The Disease Series (Nutritional Anemias, Nutrition and Stress, Nutrition and Cancer, Diet, Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease, and Diabetes and Weight Management: Aberrations in Glucose Metabolism); the Lifecycle Series (Maternal and Infant Nutrition, Nutrition and Growth, and Nutrition for the Second Half of Life*); and the Special Topics In Nutrition Series (Nutrition Supplements and Fortified Foods*, and Sports Nutrition; ABSTRACTS those with asterisks are currently under development). Our unique approach is to immerse the user in a virtual experience that brings our information to life, we call this edutainment. Our CDs use sophisticated graphics, animations, audio and video to present an experience that makes nutrition come to life. Users enter a patient’s life and see what goes on in the doctor’s office. Rather than using a traditional structure (i.e., lectures on vitamins, minerals, lipids, protein, etc.), in each program a number of issues derived from the simulated patient’s problems are used to teach the principles of nutrition and to illustrate the interaction between nutrition and health or disease. Nutrition science is presented in a manner that makes it easy for other medical disciplines to see how this science relates intimately with their special interests. Practical clinical exercises (problem sets) that differ from the simulated patient presented in the video promote the actual use of the acquired knowledge and test the necessary skills. A formal board exam is available at the end of the program. These exercises and exams provide a convenient means for additional strengthening of the student’s knowledge base. These performance data are available to the instructors and can be used for student evaluation. The Nutrition in Medicine have the following minimum system requirements: Pentium CPU/90 MHz with 16 MB RAM; Windows 95 or NT; 4x (or greater) CD-ROM drive; Monitor capable of 640x480 resolution running thousands of colors. QuickTime and Acrobat Reader must be installed onto the hard drive, are included on the CD. S13
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