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TDR Reflects on 40 Years

Nigeria CDI Projects July 07 305
Image Credit: WHO/TDR/Andy Craggs
A multi-country study in Africa investigating the efficacy of community health workers to deliver multiple interventions for malaria, onchocerciasis, tuberculosis and infant vitamin A distribution.

In April of 1974, the 27th session of the World Health Assembly called for the “intensification of activities in tropical disease research” and the “strengthening of research and training activities”, particularly in developing countries. By November of that year, TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, was in operation. The main principles were to promote and conduct research equitably, and to provide access to this knowledge and the resulting tools to the most vulnerable and hard to reach people.

It has been 40 years since that initial start, and many lessons have since been learned. In this special collection of 7 articles, former and current TDR staff provide their views on key challenges and lessons learned during the 40 year history, and explain how and why the approaches and workplans changed through time. This includes the type of research supported, the way it was conducted and even the diseases covered. As the needs in the countries evolved, so too has the Programme.

New TDR Collection Historical Profiles and Perspectives Articles:

Shaping the Research Agenda

From Bright Ideas to Tools: The Case of Malaria

Applied Research for Better Disease Prevention and Control

What Have We Learned from 40 Years of Supporting Research and Capacity Building?

Vector Research Addressing Country Control Needs

A Changing Model for Developing Health Products for Poverty-Related Infectious Diseases

Strengthening research capacity – TDR’s evolving experience in Low- and Middle- Income Countries

TDR articles from years past:

TDR: (Back) Making a Difference

A Scientometric Evaluation of the Chagas Disease Implementation Research Programme of the PAHO and TDR

The Future of TDR: The Need to Adapt to a Changing Global Health Environment

The Future of TDR: It Will Share the R&D Landscape with Other National and Multilateral Agencies

Impact of Health Research Capacity Strengthening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: The Case of WHO/TDR Programmes

TDR Thirty Years On: Taking Stock and Envisioning the Future for the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases

Two Years after the Fourth External Review: TDR Moves Forward with a New Vision and Strategy

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