The 21st session of the African Advisory Committee for Health Research and Development (AACHRD) is scheduled to take place from 22 to 25 April in Port Louis, capital of the Indian Ocean Island State of Mauritius, organizers of the meeting said in Brazzaville on Friday.

The four-day meeting of the 15-member expert committee is expected to explore practical modalities for addressing bioethiocal challenges in health research in the African Region as well as define mechanisms for enhancing research in traditional medicine.

It will examine modalities for the effective promotion of research in training institutions, and priorities and perspectives for research on noncommunicable diseases. The meeting will also provide the opportunity to obtain perspectives of the WHO African Region on planned activities of the global Advisory Committee on Health Research.

The AACHRD is a multidisciplinary and mutlisectoral body established in 1979 to advise the Regional Director of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa on matters of health research polices and development strategies.

Mauritius has rich experience in dealing with noncomminicable diseases which are steadily becoming a major cause of morbidity in many Member States in the Region. Its choice as the venue of this year's AACHRD meeting will provide an opportunity for members of the committee to interact with local researchers in defining strategies for dealing with health research challenges facing the African Region. 

For further information, please contact

Dr David Okello,
Regional Adviser Research Policy and Coordination Unit
E-mail:  okellod [at] afro.who.int (okellod[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)

Samuel T. Ajibola
Public Information and Communication Unit 
World Health Organization - Regional Office for Africa 
P.O. Box 6 Brazzaville, Congo. 
  ajibolas [at] afro.who.int (ajibolas[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int) 
Tel: 1 321 953 9378; Fax: 1 321 953 9513