Global Health Researchers Gather in Duncan, British Columbia

OTTAWA, July 18 – From July 15 to 23, researchers from Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Guatemala, India, New Zealand, Tanzania, Thailand and Uganda will gather at the Quw’utsun’ Cultural and Conference Centre in Duncan, British Columbia to participate in the 5th Summer Institute for New Global Health Researchers. Summer Institute participants will address the challenges of doing health research with Indigenous communities in Canada and the world.The Summer Institute, which is organized by the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR) is an annual program that brings together global health researchers to strengthen partnerships, build capacity in translating research into action and to nurture the next generation of global health researchers.

“Around the world, Indigenous peoples are often the poorest and bear the heaviest burden of illness.’ says Dr. Vic Neufeld, National Coordinator of the CCGHR. “At the same time, many communities and individuals explain that they have been ‘researched to death’ with little benefit returning to their communities.”

“Each participant in the Summer Institute is striving to change this reality by working in respectful and collaborative partnerships with Aboriginal groups,” says Neufeld. “The Summer Institute is a chance for them to learn from each other and to gain knowledge and skills to work respectfully and effectively with Indigenous communities.”

The 5th Summer Institute will focus on ways to guard collective rights to sacred knowledge, approaches for ensuring the partnership of Indigenous communities in the research enterprise, methods for making sure research is relevant to community priorities, and guidelines for ethical research.

This 5th Summer Institute for New Global Health Researchers is being held in collaboration with the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Network Environments for Aboriginal Research in British Columbia, University of Victoria. It is supported by CIHR, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

For further information: and backgrounder: Roberta Lloyd, Manager, Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR), (613) 859-5115, Fax: (613) 783-5117, Roberta@ccghr.ca, www.ccghr.ca