UNODC and Brazilian Health Ministry launch R$4 million call for research proposals on STDs, AIDS and viral hepatitis

15 January 2013 - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Department for STDs, AIDS and Viral Hepatitis of the Brazilian Ministry of Health launched on Friday (11) a call for proposals of research about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), AIDS and viral hepatitis, which will receive a total of R$4 million in funding.

The call covers 23 lines of research. One of the topics that can be studied is the acceptability and effectiveness of new HIV prevention technologies, such as pre-sexual exposure prophylaxis, circumcision, treatment as prevention and microbicides. Another example of research that can be addressed is the occurrence of cases of hepatitis D outside western Amazon.

The research projects must fall within three large topics proposed: 1) prevention and epidemiology; 2) diagnosis and technological development; 3) management and evaluation of public health policies. The largest part of the funds - R$2 million - is for research about prevention and epidemiology.

In practice, the studies must contain aspects such as analyzes of living conditions and health of people living with these predicaments and definition of new testing strategies. The scope of the survey will also include the integration of instruments of regional planning and management.

Among the target populations of the studies are sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgenders and transvestites, as well as persons deprived of liberty and homeless people. "It is important to know the methodologies of successful local interventions, especially those focused on populations that are most vulnerable," says the director of the Department of STD, AIDS and Viral Hepatitis of the Ministry of Health, Dirceu Greco. According to him, promoting research contributes to the improvement of Brazilian policies for AIDS and viral hepatitis, and to the implementation of public health policies.

The call for proposals is open to higher education institutions, institutes and centers of research and development, public or private, nonprofit. Public companies, nongovernmental organizations and health services that develop research activities are also allowed to participate. The deadline for submitting proposals runs until 11 March. The final selection should be announced on 28 March.

Access the re-ratification document (in Portuguese).

Access the full call for proposals (in Portuguese).

Annex I

Annexes II, III and IV

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