ETATMBA Teleconference
Thursday 19th June 2014 at 08:30hrs GMT
NOTES
Present: David Davies (Chair), David Ellard, Doug Simkiss, Chisale Mhango, Francis
Kamwendo, Chimwemwe Mvula, Godfrey Mbaruku, Senga Pemba, Staffan Bergström, AnneMarie Brennan
Unable to contact: Chikayiko Chiwandira
1.
Apologies
Paul O’Hare, Siobhan Quenby, Ed Peile
2.
Minutes of last teleconference held on 15th May 2014
Note on action points:
a)
Form C awaited from Karolinska – one small query outstanding.
b)
Audit certificate to be completed for College of Medicine
d)
No further contact with Ed Peile. (DD due to speak to EP soon; will follow up)
3.
EC update
AMB reported that the amendment prepared for the external review has been submitted, with
some minor changes added in response to the reviewer’s comments and at the request of the
EC.
Action: AMB to send copy of submitted version to partners for their records.
4.
Periodic report
A final version has been sent for comment; there are only a few changes since the previous
draft.
There was a query about a cost from Karolinska; the finance officer has been asked to decide
how to manage this in the light of the FP7 finance guidelines.
Action: SB to follow up with Eva Bjorndal or Maud Kårebrand.
The audit certificate is a compulsory EC requirement for cumulative spend of over €325,000
euro. There is full reimbursement provided by the EC. However, the lack of funds at the CoM
has led to restrictions on further spend and the audit will not be completed without cash funding
in advance. However, it is not clear whether a cash advance from Warwick would be withheld
by the bank in Malawi as payment towards the overdraft. This matter, and the timeframe for
completion of any audit, needs to be clarified with Mrs Kaunda.
Action: FK and CM to follow up with Mrs Kaunda.
5.
Research
a)
DE reported that the Malawi data has now been passed to the Warwick statistician who
will start to analyse it. The quality of the data generally is poor, with considerable variations in
the amount recorded by district for each year.
Action: DE to meet statistician to assess progress.
b)
Process paper submitted to the BMJ Open has had a positive response. There are
questions from the reviewers to be addressed.
c) Tanzanian data may be easier to assess due to the before-and-after design. Masters
students and Mselenge Mdegela are currently reviewing this.
FK expressed a wish to see further data collection. DE commented that although further work
would be desirable, in terms of this project we are constrained by our timelines and funding.
6.
Dissemination
a)
Process paper currently in review by BMJ Open.
b)
DE attending the Health Services Research Conference in London in July.
DE asked if any partners have plans to attend dissemination events.
FK said he will be attending a local annual conference and will disseminate findings there.
DD suggested partners look for African conferences which they can attend.
Action: partners to send details of any potential conferences to AMB.
7.
Senior Clinical Research Fellow
GM reported that Mselenge Mdegela is currently in Tanzania and working with the two masters
students. He plans to visit sites to develop his plans for following up the trainees and also to
develop the project research analysis. He is completing his timesheets as per EC requirement.
8.
Period 3 claims
AMB reminded partners that all claims for the project will need to be posted or invoiced before
the deadline of 31st July.
9.
Marking and graduation (Malawi students)
This item is for Malawi tutors: a reminder that marking for Module 8 (second professional
project) should be completed by the end of the month.
Graduation is currently planned for 30-31st October. PO’H has applied for some funding to
cover costs, but there will be a shortfall which will need to be met by CoM. If some EC funds
have been sent by this point, then those can be used to cover the costs. If there is no further
funding received by the end of October, this leaves the shortfall to be met from a source as yet
unidentified. DD suggested the date of graduation may need to be moved, depending on the
outcome of the above.
SP suggested that other stakeholders might be interested in attending the conference; DD
commented that this would be an ideal opportunity to consolidate the developments of the
project.
10.
Any other business
DD asked the partners how we should meet following the teleconference next month, which will
be the final one falling within the project’s timeframe.
All partners were happy to continue meeting on the usual monthly basis for at least August and
September, while the final report is completed.
11.
Date of next teleconference
The next teleconference will be on Thursday 17th July 2014 at 8.30am UK, 9.30am Malawi,
10.30am Tanzania.