Research

NIHMP is a partner in the following research activities:

1. Cooperation with the International Centre for Migration and Health/WHO in Geneva to carry out a research project on diabetes in migrants in Europe.
2. Collaboration with WHO European office for Investment for Health and Development, Venice and organization of the “Technical Consultation on Poverty and Health”, held in Venice from 29 November to 1 December 2007. It was an international forum involving almost 100 participants. Minister-delegates of the 25 European Region member countries, WHO representatives and experts from different institutions took part in the event. The purpose of the congress was to provide and share information about the activities in the member countries at the national and sub-national level aimed at promoting and enhancing the health of socially and economically weak groups; produce a final document on the most significant themes discussed and their political implications for decision-makers; publish, in 2008, a hand-book containing “case studies” and “background papers” on health and poverty.
3. Cooperation with the National Centre for AIDS (ISS - Istituto Superiore di Sanità) for the development of high technology prevention, assistance and experimental activities for the control of poverty-related diseases (AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria). The project adopted a multidisciplinary approach which combined biomedical and social sciences in a multiethnic and multicultural context. The project also includes organization of translational research laboratories and multidisciplinary centres for preliminary immunological, virologic and clinical studies. The objective is the preparation of vaccines against the principal poverty-related diseases (AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) also taking into account social, health and trans-cultural aspects.
4. Research convention with the Italian Dermatological Centre (IDC) at Ayder Hospital in Mekele, founded and managed by IISMAS in order to create a scientific and training support for the NIHMP’s dermatologic and infectious diseases activity addressed to human mobile population. From January 2005 to July 2007, 26,000 people were hospitalized and 1,000 were treated. IDC joins in the Alliance of the Italian Hospitals Worldwide, composed by 37 members and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of the University and Research and the Ministry for Public Administration Reform and Innovation. This research is aimed at carrying out health, clinical and experimental activities in developing countries (South Africa, Ethiopia, etc.) in order to allow local health workers to provide basic health services and develop preventive medicine programmes.
5. Participation in the project IPOCM of the Alliance of the Italian Hospitals Worldwide. NIHMP’s role is to supply specialist advice (through the Asynchronous Tele-counselling Service) on the ICD9/CM subtypes 690-698 (Other inflammatory conditions of skin and subcutaneous tissue) and 080-088 (Rickettsioses and other arthropod-borne diseases) and other topics on demand.