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

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Abstracts 10/22/02 11:26 AM Page 8 S8 To address this dilemma, IFPRI is embarking on a project that includes IT for communicating urban food and nutrition policy to a variety of audiences in Africa, Asia and Latin America, through the use of traditional and new IT channels. This project attempts to explore the benefits brought about by IT in effectively communicating urban food and nutrition policy research. Many of these channels flow through intermediaries whom interact with policymakersadvisors, NGOs and the public. Uses of IT within the project include: - Online portals that allow for information sharing between NGOs that have close ties with policymakers, - Improved information display using more complex visuals and sounds, - In cooperation with Worldspace Foundation, build opportunities for the public to listen to nutrition programming via a satellite broadcast to wireless radio receivers. Despite the benefits of using IT to communicate nutrition to policymakers, IT cannot replace personal interactions. The ability to shake hands and share ideas lends to an effective experience of information transfer between the sender and receiver. Despite IT’s limitations, the development of projects such as Internet2 are creating a more personal communications environment through IT, and may open up avenues that will one day deliver information directly to a policymaker’s desk. Communication and connectivity in Africa / Communication et connectivité en Afrique Michael Jensen, South Africa The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in general has grown rapidly in most urban areas in Africa. As an indication, only four years ago a handful of countries had local Internet access, now the Internet is available in every capital city. There are now as many mobile cell phones on the continent as there are fixed lines, hundreds of new local and community radio stations have been licensed, and satellite TV is now also widely available. The number of dialup Internet subscribers now stands at over 1.3 million, up from about 1 milion at the end of 2000. The total international incoming Internet bandwidth is now well over 1 gigabyte per second, while outgoing traffic is estimated at about 800Mbps. But although these encouraging trends have emerged in the last few years, the differences between the development levels of Africa and the rest of the world are still wider in the area of ICTs than they are using more traditional measures of development: Of the 770 million people in Africa: 1 in 13 have a TV (50m) 1 in 40 have a fixed line (20m) 1 in 40 have a GSM line (20m) 1 in 130 have a PC (5.9m) 1 in 150 use the Internet (5.5m) 1 in 400 have pay-TV (2m) More widespread access has also been constrained by a number of issues, including a low density of telephone lines and the poor quality of the ageing copper infrastructure; expensive international connections for Internet Service Providers; and a tight control over the telecommunications and Internet market which frequently remains under monopoly control. Investment in rural areas, where the majority of the population lives, has been particularly low. Irregular or non-existent electricity supplies are a common feature and a major barrier to use of the Internet, especially outside the major towns. Many countries have extremely limited power distribution networks, which do not penetrate significantly into rural areas, and power sharing (regular power outages for many hours) is a common occurrence, even in some capital cities such as Accra, Dar es Salaam and Lagos. Furthermore, most tax regimes still treat ICTs as luxury items, which makes these almost exclusively imported commodities all the more expensive, and thus unobtainable by the majority. However, there is now increasing tendency to open up the markets to enable more widespread Internet access, and there are newer technologies that are particularly appropriate. These include the use of VSAT (very small aperture terminal) satellite systems; and the use of radio links for short and medium distance. New moves on the sub-continent towards the provision of public access facilities are also proving effective, as these can provide web access to meet a wide range of needs. July 2002, Vol. 15, No. 2 SAJCN (Supplement) ABSTRACTS Nutrition networking in West Africa and the role of information technology Dado Kagnassy Sy, Chef de la Division Nutrition, Ministère de la Santé Publique, Mali; Kabba T. Joiner, Directeur Général, Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé; Shawn K. Baker, Directeur Régional pour l’Afrique, Helen Keller International; Serigne Mbaye Diène, Conseiller Régional Nutrition, BASICS II The 15 nations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS, comprising Benin, Burkina Faso, Cap Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo) have a combined population of 227 million of whom 41 million are under 5, this represents over 1 / 4 of the population of Africa, and includes Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone countries. The average under 5 mortality for the regional is 185 per 1,000 and protein energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are major contributors to this rate. It is estimated that vitamin A deficiency alone contributes to 228,000 deaths per year in the region. Since 1995, the Centre Régional de Recherches en Alimentation et Nutrition (CRAN), a structure of the Organisation pour la Cooperation et la Coordination de Lutte Contre les Grandes Endémies (OCCGE) has worked with partners and member states to create a network of nutrition focal points, which serves as a vehicle for documenting and sharing experiences in nutrition and reinforcing regional and national capacities. The network originally covered the nine countries of the OCCGE (all Francophone) but has expanded to all 15 ECOWAS members in 1999. In 2000, the two regional health organizations of ECOWAS (one Anglophone and one Francophone) were merged into the West African Health Organization (WAHO) and WAHO has taken the lead in organizing the network and adopted nutrition as one of its eight priority program areas. Successes include inclusion of vitamin A into National Immunization Days (NIDs) in all 15 countries, editing of a document on best practices in vitamin A in Africa, annual focal point meetings, promotion of national micronutrient days, developing food fortification strategies and advocacy, promotion of PROFILES for nutrition advocacy, strengthening Information, Education and Communication strategies and editing of a bi-weekly, e-mail-based nutrition news letter (Nutrition News for Africa) in English and French. Information Technologies play an increasingly important role in maintaining and growing the network. The presentation will focus on methods used to build and maintain the network, the role of information technologies, outcomes and lessons learned, and future directions. Partners include several USAID-funded projects (BASICS II, FANTA, LINKAGES, MOST, SANA, SARA), UNICEF, Helen Keller International, the Micronutrient Initiative, the World Health Organization and the World Bank. Le réseautage pour la nutrition en Afrique de l’ouest et le rôle des nouvelles technologies de l’information Dado Kagnassy Sy, Chef de la Division Nutrition, Ministère de la Santé Publique, Mali; Kabba T. Joiner, Directeur Général, Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé ; Shawn K. Baker, Directeur Régional pour l’Afrique, Helen Keller International; Serigne Mbaye Diène, Conseiller Régional Nutrition, BASICS II. Les 15 pays de la Communauté Economique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO est composée du Bénin, du Burkina Faso, du Cap Vert, de la Côte d’Ivoire, de la Gambie, du Ghana, de la Guinée, de la Guinée Bissau, du Libéria, du Mali, du Niger, du Nigéria, du Sénégal, de la Sierra Leone et du Togo) ont une population globale de 227 millions d’habitants dont 41 millions ont moins de 5 ans; ceci représente plus d’un quart de la population de l’Afrique et regroupe les pays anglophones, francophones et lusophones. Le taux moyen de la mortalité infanto-juvénile pour la région est de 185 pour 1 000 et la malnutrition protéino-énergétique et les carences en micronutriments en sont les causes majeures. On estime que la carence en vitamine A à elle seule, contribue à 228 000 morts décès par an dans la région. Depuis 1995, le Centre Régional de Recherches en Alimentation et Nutrition (CRAN), une des structures de l’Organisation pour la Coopération et la Coordination de Lutte Contre les Grandes Endémies (OCCGE) a travaillé en collaboration avec certains partenaires et des états membres afin d’établir un réseau de points focaux nutrition, qui servirait de véhicule pour la documentation et le partage des expériences en matière de nutrition et renforcerait les capacités régionales et nationales. A l’origine le réseau comptait les neuf pays de l’OCCGE (tous francophones) mais s’est étendu en 1999 aux 15 pays membres de la CEDEAO. En 2000, les deux organisations régionales de la santé de la CEDEAO (une anglophone et une francophone) ont fusionné pour créer l’Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé (OOAS). L’OOAS a pris la direction de l’organisation de ce réseau et a retenu la nutrition comme l’un de ses huit programmes prioritaires. Parmi les succès réalisés : dans les 15 pays l’intégration de la distribution de la vitamine A lors
Abstracts 10/22/02 11:26 AM Page 9 des Journées Nationales de Vaccinations (JNV), la parution d’un document sur les meilleures pratiques concernant l’utilisation de la vitamine A en Afrique, les rencontres annuelles des points focaux, la promotion des journées nationales pour les micronutriments, le développment des stratégies et des plaidoyers sur la fortification alimentaire, la promotion des PROFILES pour le plaidoyer en matière de nutrition, le renforcement des stratégies d’information, d’éducation et de communication et la parution d’un bimensuel envoyé par email sous la forme d’une lettre d’information sur la nutrition (Nutrition News for Africa) en anglais et en français. Les technologies de l’information jouent un rôle de plus en plus important dans l’entretien et l’expansion de ce réseau. La présentation insistera sur les méthodes utilisées pour construire et entretenir le réseau, sur le rôle des technologies de l’information, les résultats et les leçons apprises, ainsi que les directions futures. Parmi les partenaires il faut citer plusieurs projets financés par l’USAID (BASICS II, FANTA, LINKAGES, MOST, SANA, SARA), l’UNICEF, Helen Keller International, l’Initiative pour les Micronutriments, l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé et la Banque Mondiale. The role of IT in nutrition education / Le rôle de la TI en éducation nutritionnelle KM Kolasa Nutrition Services and Patient Education, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA In the mid 1990’s the use of IT in nutrition education seemed like an impossible dream not only to nutrition educators in the developing countries, but also those in North America and Europe. The barriers of time, money and computer access seemed overwhelming. International and government agencies were challenged to create opportunities for nutrition educators to use both stand-alone programs as well as email and the World Wide Web. 1 Today, nutrition educators are using IT throughout the world. Most African universities are internet connected. And, educators have demonstrated that people of all ages, gender and literacy levels can use and learn from these programs2,3 While it is easier to use IT for nutrition education than it was in the mid 1990’s, no major new functional innovations have emerged. Yet, IT may be underutilized in nutrition education. Optimal use, however, has not been defined. For now, it is how nutrition educators use IT technology, not the technology that is most important The stand-alone programs remain best for delivering graphics and video; as well as for audiences with limited reliable and affordable Web access. Benefits of stand-alones will be illustrated from the Nutrition in Medicine cd-rom series (http://www.med.unc.edu/nutr/nim) The Web provides opportunities and challenges. Rapid access to information is a real promise of the Web but it has not been delivered yet. Teachers no longer are information gatekeepers but have become guides. It is a significant challenge is to guide learners away from nutrition misinformation found on the Web or forwarded through Listserves. North American examples (e.g. Nutrition Navigator http:// http://navigator.tufts.edu/; a password protected Food Literacy BlackBoard course http://ecu.blackboard.com) will be used to demonstrate types of responses nutrition educators/institutions can make. The world-wide nutrition education community is relatively small. The resources required for IT are large and sharing must become a greater part of the nutrition education world. One example of sharing will be demonstrated by the Physicians Curriculum in Clinical Nutrition passwordprotected web site. Tailoring information for individuals is in its infancy but holds enormous promise. Examples such as Healthy Eating Index (http://147.208.9.133) and the Shape Up America! (http://www.shapeup.org) online weight class will be used to illustrate. Another example to demonstrate challenges and opportunities for nutrition educators include the web based Dietary Guidelines for Americans continuing education course (http://www.dga2000training.usda.gov). Evaluation of behavior changes remains challenging. Issues will be explored. 1. Kolasa KM. New developments in computer-mediated technology for nutrition education. FAO Nutrition Paper Series, 1996; No. 59,pp. 33-36, 42. 2. Kolasa KM. Images of nutrition in medical education and primary care. Am J Clinical Nutrition, 2001;73:1006-1009. 3. Gould SM, Anderson J. Using interactive multimedia nutrition education to reach low-income persons: an effectiveness evaluation. J Nutrition Education. 2000;32: 204- 213. ABSTRACTS Producing web sites / Créer les sites Web Jean-Charles Le Vallée Food Security Guide for the Development Gateway, World Bank, USA This presentation addresses the development of web sites for a nutrition audience, an area still in its infancy, with few lessons learnt to draw upon. The presentation reviews steps for web site production from planning to maintenance, and offers ways of avoiding common problems. Much web site production for the implementation of learning tools, information sharing, statistics, news, or research, requires initial planning such as a concept paper analyzing the potential audience and its needs. An IT project calls for resources, time, people and selection of staff. Content and web site development are key, but design, testing and validation are paramount. What works and why depends on a strong plan and good marketing. Which software or hardware to use? What type of server do I need? In the rush to start up, the costs of sustaining an effective site are often underestimated. This presentation is based upon lessons learned from 6 websites related to food and nutrition security, from 1995 to today, the most recent being the Food Security web site at the Development Gateway. The presentation will be given in two parts: the first in French, discusses typical steps and challenges in producing web sites; and the second half of the presentation, in English, reviews a series of lessons learnt, how certain problems can be addressed and future opportunities. The presentation will provide a broad overview for those who wish to set up web sites on nutrition. The concept of knowledge networks in Africa – an enabling tool for knowledge management in the field of nutrition, with specific reference to SA HealthInfo / Le concept des connaissances des réseaux en Afrique Jacobus Adriaan Louwa , Benjamin Fouchéb , Demetre Labadariosc aExecutive Director: Informatics and Knowledge Management, South African Medical Research Council and Visiting Professor, Department of Information Science, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa bProfessor and Director of Information and Knowledge Management Programmes, Department of Information Science, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa cProfessor, Department of Human Nutrition , University of Stellenbosch, South Africa This paper introduces the concept of a knowledge network as an enabling tool for improved knowledge management in the field of Nutrition in Africa, with specific reference to the planning and development of the South African national health knowledge network — SA HealthInfo. A knowledge network is aimed at facilitating the needs of certain communities of end-users and stimulates the process of innovation within a particular system, thereby also improving decision making. The methodology is in essence based on the principles of knowledge management and the drivers of a system of innovation. Knowledge management has become the buzzword in modern management of organisations. The challenge exists to design systems that will also cater for knowledge creation, conversion and flow in a larger system of innovation — using a knowledge-network approach. The South African Medical Research Council (MRC) has designed such a model for inter-institutional knowledge management in the health system. It received funding from the South African Government’s Innovation Fund via the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology to establish, in collaboration with partners, a National Health Knowledge Network (trademark SA HealthInfo). The SA HealthInfo knowledge network, aims to provide a one-stop interactive forum/resource, for quality-controlled and evidence-based health research information, to a wide spectrum of users, at various levels of aggregation, with the necessary security arrangements and facilities for interaction among users to promote explicit (codified) and tacit knowledge flow. The SA HealthInfo knowledge network, which uses Internet portal technology and is available on the Internet at http://www.sahealthinfo.org, caters for the needs of epistemic communities and communities of practice through the creation of Modules — content-specific mini information clearinghouses — and provides relevant services. It has developed a specific Nutrition Module, catering for various audiences. This Module, which can be directly accessed at http://www.sahealthinfo.org.nutrition/nutrition.htm, focuses on South African nutrition information, based on peer-reviewed research. Nutrition information is organised under the following groupings: online documents of interest to the public; nutritional software and databases; collaboration tools; and, related sites. S9
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Pan-African Conference 21 - 24 July 2002 Inter-Continental Hotel ...

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