Important Dates

  • Abstract Submission Deadline: June 22, 2015
  • Abstract Acceptance Notification Letter: June 30, 2015
  • Presenters need to confirm and register: July 30, 2015
  • Early Registration Deadline: August 24, 2015
  • Conference Dates: September 21 – 24, 2015

About the conference

Recognizing the need to build capacity in lower-income countries for the prevention of birth defects and preterm birth and care of those affected, the goal of these biennial conferences has been to provide specific practical tools and approaches that developing country participants can use to implement and strengthen surveillance and health care delivery and influence policy and funding in support when they return to their respective countries.

Previous conferences: Cebu, Philippines (2013); Lodz, Poland (2011); New Delhi, India (2009); Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2007); Beijing, China (2005); Johannesburg, South Africa, (2001)

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Health care providers, policy makers, researchers, donors, parent-patient organizations, other NGOs and youth volunteers from across the world interested in strengthening reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, with a focus on the prevention of birth defects, preterm birth and associated disabilities.

ICBD7 (2015) will be organized around the following topics, with the focus of each being on the presentation of successful best practices/models of prevention and care of birth defects and premature birth in East Africa and around the world:

ICBD 2015 Topics

  1. Birth surveillance and registration—issues, challenges, and strategies for establishing national and sub-national systems to capture accurate data on prevalence, mortality, disability and economic costs associated with birth defects, preterm birth and stillbirth
  2. Strengthening preconception and interconception care
  3. Improving pregnancy and maternal care
  4. Diagnosis and care of the affected newborn
  5. Strategies to reduce mortality and improve physical and developmental outcomes of newborns and children with a birth defect or with complications due to preterm birth
  6. The role of parent/patient organizations in advocacy and planning and delivery of equitable and ethical services
  1. Development of research networks and partnerships for the efficient utilization of limited resources
  2. Integration of services into existing national primary health programs for the prevention of birth defects and disabilities and care of affected newborns, especially in the most disadvantaged and vulnerable populations
  3. Pre-service and in-service training programs related to children with birth defects
  4. Stigma and discrimination against children with birth defects and disabilities
  5. Educational and recreational activities for children with disabilities

Location

Accommodation

Special rates have been agreed for accommodation at the Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel  (the conference location) as well as the Holiday Inn Dar es Salaam (within walking distance of the conference site). To book your hotel, please contact the hotel directly by email or phone and indicate that you are participating in the "ICBD 2015 conference being hosted by The Aga Khan Hospital".

THE CONFERENCE VENUE: DAR ES SALAAM SERENA HOTEL

Tel: +255 22 2112416

E-mail: Daressalaam@serena.co.tz

Website: http://www.serenahotels.com/serenadaressalaam/default-en.html

Room Type Accommodates Amount
Standard Room 1-2 $201.50
Superior Room 1-2 $221.50
Executive Room 1-2 $231.50
Executive Ocean Room 1-2 $251.50
HOLIDAY INN DAR ES SALAAM (700m from the Conference Venue)

*Participants receiving support for accommodation will be housed at this hotel. We will reserve your room for you after you have been notified of your abstract acceptance.

Tel: +255 222139250

E-mail: reservations@holidayinn.co.tz

Website: http://www.holidayinn.co.tz/

Room Type Accommodates Amount
Standard Deluxe 1-2 $100
Deluxe 1-2 $201
Suite 1-2 $243
NEW AFRICA HOTEL (1100m from the Conference Venue)

Tel: +255 2117050/51

E-mail: reservations@newafricahotel.com

Website: http://www.newafricahotel.com/

Room Type Accommodates Amount
Deluxe 1 $210
Deluxe 2 $230
Club Room (Pool Facing) 1 $136.50
Club Room (Pool Facing) 2 $150
Club Room (Ocean View) 1 $140
Club Room (Ocean View) 2 $160
HOTEL SAPPHIRE (1500m from the Conference Venue)

Tel: +255 779 11 22 33 /+255 789 110 044

Fax: +255 222135309

E-mail: hm@hotelsapphiretz.com

Website: http://www.hotelsapphiretz.com/

Room Type Accommodates Amount
Standard Deluxe 1 $75
Standard Deluxe 2 $90
To view a map of all the hotels online, please click the below link:
View Map

For information about additional hotels and rates:
Download

Preliminary Program

Schedule

  • September 21
    Opening Ceremonies
    Keynote Address
    Welcome Reception
  • September 22
    Conference
    Free Night
  • September 23
    Conference
    Fellowship Night
  • September 24
    Conference
    Closing Ceremonies

Download the updated program details in PDF here Download

Confirmed Speakers to Date

  • Robert Armstrong, BSc, MSc, MD, PhD, Aga Khan University East Africa, Kenya
  • Abdulhakim Bayakub, Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Tanzania (ASBAHT), Tanzania
  • Hannah Blencowe, MBChB, Msc, MRCGP, PGCert Med Ed MRCPCH, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
  • Geneviève Bois, MD, Montreal/Health, NCD Child Council, Canada
  • Coleen Boyle, PhD, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA
  • Arnold Christianson, MD, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
  • Jennifer Howse, PhD, March of Dimes, USA
  • Christopher Howson, PhD, March of Dimes, USA
  • Alastair Kent, OBE, Genetic Interest Group , UK
  • Eve Lackritz, MD, Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth, USA
  • Marti van Lière, MSc, PhD, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Health, Switzerland
  • Jennifer Lwehabura, Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT), Tanzania
  • Helen Malherbe, Genetic Alliance South Africa, South Africa
  • Cynthia Moore, MD, PhD, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA
  • Jeffery Murray, MD, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USA
  • Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, MD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana, USA and Ghana.
  • Lawal-Aiyedun Olubunmi, RN, RM, Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Care Foundation of Nigeria, Nigeria
  • Carmencita Padilla, MD, MAHPS, University of the Philippines, Manila, National Institutes of Health, Philippines
  • Janna Patterson, MD, MPH, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA
  • Sunil Sazawal, PhD, Johns Hopkins University, USA
  • Joe Leigh Simpson, MD, FACOG, FACMG, March of Dimes, USA
  • Bradford Therrell, PhD, National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center (NNSGRC), USA
  • Salimah Walani, PhD, MPH, RN, March of Dimes, USA
  • Sierra Washington, MD, MSc, CCBRT/Kupona Foundation, Tanzania
  • Khalid Yunis, MD, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Committees

  • Coleen Boyle, USA
  • Eduardo Castilla, Brazil
  • Jennifer Howse, USA
  • Ishwar Verma, India
  • Gijs Walraven, Switzerland
  • Robert Armstrong, Tanzania – Chair
  • Sisawo Konteh, Tanzania – Co-Chair
  • Christopher Howson, USA – Co-Chair
  • Mushtaq Ahmed, Tanzania
  • Arnold Christianson, South Africa
  • Alastair Kent, UK
  • Cynthia Moore, USA
  • Georgina Msemo, Tanzania – (MOHSW)
  • Jeffrey Murray, USA
  • Carmencita Padilla, Philippines
  • Lesley Regan, UK
  • Sulaiman Shahabuddin, Tanzania
  • Joe Leigh Simpson, USA
  • Khalid Yunis, Lebanon
  • John Tole, Kenya – Chair
  • Nuruddin Lakhani, Tanzania – Co-Chair
  • Salimah Walani, USA – Co-Chair
  • Khairunnisa Dhamani, Tanzania
  • William Kafura, Tanzania (MOHSW)
  • Janneth Mghamba, Tanzania (MOHSW)
  • Shaffiq Mohamed, Tanzania
  • Anitah Muruve, Tanzania
  • Joseph Sniezek, USA
  • Zeenat Sulaiman – Chair
  • Riddhi Davda
  • Safiyya Devraj
  • Rahim Jassani
  • Shehzad Kabirani
  • Edina Mullumba
  • Athuman Seleman
  • Megan Bruno
  • Orakya Danda
  • Adellah Kimambo
  • Frida Samuel Kitundu
  • Jimmy Mutayabalwa
  • Coletha Sipemba

Registration

  • Abstract Submission Deadline: June 22, 2015
  • Abstract Acceptance Notification Letter: June 30, 2015
  • Presenters of accepted abstracts must register by: July 30, 2015
    >> If you have submitted an abstract, please wait for the acceptance decision letter before registering.
  • Early Registration Deadline: August 24, 2015

Registration fees include the following:

  • Participation in all scientific sessions
  • Admission to the welcome reception and fellowship night
  • Conference programme
  • Book of abstracts
  • Certificate of attendance
  • Conference kit and materials
  • Lunch and Tea/Coffee breaks

Limited funding may be available to provide support with waiver of the registration fee and hotel accommodation for a small number of participants with accepted abstracts. To qualify for this support, the presenter must be affiliated with an organization whose headquarters are based in a low- or middle-income country. The provision and amount of this support will depend on the availability of funds.

  • Early Registration Fee: $350 (Deadline August 24, 2015 11:59pm EAT)
  • Onsite Registration Fee: $500 (Begins September 21, 2015 at Serena)
  • Regular Student Rate: $250 (Only applied if meeting the early registration deadline)
  • Students and professionals affiliated with a not-for-profit institution, which has its headquarter in a low- or middle-income country: $100
    >> For a list of country income level classifications, check here the following the link >> Organizational information will be verified by the organizers as needed
  • Late Registration Fee: $450 (Deadline September 20, 2015 11:59pm EAT)
  • Registration for anyone affiliated with a local Tanzania-based not-for-profit organization: $25 (Must register by the early registration deadline)
  • Waived Registration Fee: If eligible you will receive a one-use code
1. CREDIT CARD
To register using Credit Cards, click Register Now

2. BANK TRANSFER
To register please download the form, fill in form
Email completed form and swift copy confirming payment to registration@icbd2015.com with subject Payment Via Bank Transfer

Bank Transfer Detail:
ACCOUNT NAME: THE AGA KHAN HOSPITAL, DSM
USD ACCOUNT NUMBER: 0400318026
TZS ACCOUNT NUMBER: 0400318018
BANK: DIAMOND TRUST BANK (T) LIMITED
BRANCH: MAIN BRANCH
SWIFT CODE: DTKETZTZ

3. CASH PAYMENT
To register please download the form, fill in the form and submit to:
Aga Khan Hospital,
Finance Department,1st Floor Administration Block
Barack Obama Drive
Upanga

Open hours (Closed during public holidays)
Monday to Friday - 9:00am to 4:00pm
Saturday - 10:00am to 1:00pm

Register Now

Registration

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For more information on Payment Fees, please refer to the Payment Options section on the website.

Abstract Submission

General Information

We are now accepting abstracts for the 7th International Conference on Birth Defects and Disabilities in the Developing World to be held on 21-24 September 2015 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Submission Deadline: Abstracts will be accepted until June 22, 2015.

Notification of Abstract Acceptance:All authors will be notified via email by June 30, 2015. Please make sure your email address is correct and up-to-date.

Registration:Once your abstract is accepted, the presenting author must register for the conference by July 30, 2015.

Participation Support: Limited funding may be available to provide support withwaiver of the registration fee and hotel accommodation for a small number of participants with accepted abstracts. To qualify for this support, the presenter must be affiliated with an organization whose headquarters are based in a low- or middle-income country. The provision and amount of this support will depend on the availability of funds.

Conference Topics

Professionals, policy makers, researchers and students working in the areas related to the theme and topics of this conference are invited to submit abstracts for consideration. The conference will be organized around the following topics, with the focus of each being on the presentation of successful best practices/models of prevention and care of birth defects and premature birth in East Africa and around the world:

  1. Birth surveillance and registration— issues, challenges, and strategies for establishing national and sub-national systems to capture accurate data on prevalence, mortality, disability and economic costs associated with birth defects, preterm birth and stillbirth
  2. Strengthening preconception and interconception care
  3. Improving pregnancy and maternal care
  4. Diagnosis and care of the affected newborn
  5. Strategies to reduce mortality and improve physical and developmental outcomes of newborns and children with a birth defect or with complications due to preterm birth
  6. The role of parent/patient organizations in advocacy and planning and delivery of equitable and ethical services
  7. Development of research networks and partnerships for the efficient utilization of limited resources
  8. Integration of services into existing national primary health programs for the prevention of birth defects and disabilities and care of affected newborns, especially in the most disadvantaged and vulnerable populations
  9. Pre-service and in-service training programs related to children with birth defects
  10. Stigma and discrimination against children with birth defects and disabilities
  11. Educational and recreational activities for children with disabilities

Abstract Submission Guidelines

Abstracts may be submitted for one of the following forms of presentation:

  • Oral Presentation: PowerPoint presentation to be delivered by one of the authors in the assigned scientific sessions.
  • Poster Presentation: Printed poster to be created by the author and ready to be affixed to a poster panel at the conference site.
  • The preference of presentation type should be indicated when submitting the abstract. However, the Scientific Review Committee reserves the right to determine whether an abstract, if accepted, should be presented as an oral or a poster presentation. Detailed information on the specific guidelines for presentation preparation, including the duration and timing of the presentation, poster dimensions, accepted file type and uploading information will be emailed to the presenter upon abstract acceptance.
  • All abstracts must be submitted online through the submission form fields found below.  The text should not exceed 300 words, not including the title. Abstracts that exceed this word limit will be rejected.Nonstandard abbreviations are not allowed in abstract titles. Abbreviations may be used in the body of an abstract if they are defined at their first mention in the text
  • The accuracy of the submitted abstract is the responsibility of the authors. Authors should prepare and proofread their abstracts carefully prior to submission
  • All steps on the abstract submission form must be completed
  • Do not include trade or brand names in your abstract
  • All abstracts must be prepared in English and must describe clearly the purpose and results of the research and should contain the following sections:
    Title: Descriptive title clearly identifying the subject matter of the study
    Objectives: Clearly stated purpose, research questions or the hypothesis
    Methods: Research design, setting, sampling criteria and statistical analysis
    Results and Discussion: Quantitative or Qualitative results in relation to the objectives
    Conclusions: Significance and implications of the results
Submit Abstract

Abstract Submission