Wikipedia:PHP2013

This is the project page which will host the Public Health & Policy 2013 student proposals for 2013 (PHP 2013). An imaginary scenario is set whereby the UK government has released a call for £1 billion grant proposals to be spent on the control of one disease.

Background
Public health is an area to which biologists have and continue to make astonishing contributions. These issues are examined by looking at the current situation and the main strategies for control of some of the biggest infectious disease killers globally. In doing so, we provide an understanding of some of the most important challenges in public health and highlight the contribution scientists have yet to make.

Aims of the PHP2013 assessment
Providing a better understanding of infectious disease contribution to the global burden of disease is the primary aim of this module. Nowhere in academia, however, does the academic imperative for rigorous science get so frequently juxtaposed with the operational imperative to act. How are these competing needs handled by those responsible for formulating and implementing public health policy? The aim of this module is not only to provide a general background but an appreciation of what and how biologists can effectively contribute.

Content
Student groups (4 persons/team) are allocated a specific disease (see below) and have to justify how to spend £1 billion on alleviating their assigned disease. Each member of the group prepares a presentation, editorial, policy brief or Wikipedia page about their group's plan for spending the £1b, and justifying why the group's allocated disease constitutes the best spend.

The groups' proposals are linked from the list below.

The proposals
The following diseases are included in this student project:


 * Dengue: Controlling the Disease of the Future
 * Leishmaniasis:Good Value for Money in Saving Lives
 * Measles: The Final Push
 * Polio: The End's in Sight
 * Schistosomiasis: Treating for growth