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Implementation of the Biotech tropicana SMARThivTECHS: A Competence Profile
Aboubakar YARI & Venus YARI
Biotech tropicana, Inc, Parakou, Benin
*Corresponding Author: Aboubakar YARI, Bioteh tropicana, Inc, 02 Po Box 1038, Parakou, Benin Republic, e-mail: ayari@biotechtropicana.com
Published Online July 23, 2010
Abstract:
The Biotech tropicana SMARThivTECHS are a support platform containing the essential components for an effective treatment monitoring of HIV patients, in the resource-poor settings. We previously discussed the basis for readiness of implementation of version 1 of the SMARThivTECHS. Consistent with the common agenda philosophy, proposed in the 2001 United Nations General Assembly Declaration on Commitment to HIV/AIDS, collaborations are opened to all without discrimination with regard to any other ground, but competence. Here, we discuss the competence requirements, for a successful implementation of the SMARThivTECHS.
Keywords: HIV; Treatment Monitoring; Resource-poor Settings; Alternative Technologies; SMARThivTECHS; Millennium Development Goals; Deadlines.
Major innovations in the SMARThivTECHS platform include its « scientific » alignment with the United Nations Millennium development Project (UN MDP), and its "business model” alignment with the United States Millennium Challenge Corporation ( US MCC). Since the turning to the new millennium in 2000, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UN MDG), and the United States Millennium Challenge Corporation (US MCC) have become the world’s reference standards, in assessing development progress and improvements in human well being, in the resource-poor settings. [http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ ;AND http://www.cgdev.org/section/initiatives/_active/mcamonitor ]
UN MDG are 8 "quantifiable” (quantity) and "time bounded” (deadline) objectives, for reducing extreme poverty in the resource-poor settings. SMARThivTECHS achieve international standards and aligned with the UN MDG objectives by creating grounds to increase tests number (quantity) from 1 to 3, and implementation scale from small to large scale, in monitoring HIV patients, in the resource-poor settings. SMARThivTECHS also achieve compliance with the important deadline factor, by setting its implementation framework, within the UN 2010 deadline. [ http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/aids.shtml ]
SMARThivTECHs are designed to be implemented through the private sector, consistent with US MCC objectives to reduce poverty through creation of new wealth, by empowering the private sector. One major innovation in the SMARThivTECHS is the implementation of a private as opposed to the traditional public approach, at a global scale, in monitoring HIV patients, in the resource-poor settings. Achieving this objective will require harnessing and managing scientific knowledge at a global scale. Below we discuss strategies developed in the Biotech tropicana Systems to harness the necessary scientific knowledge, to achieve our competence needs and business objectives, using the "new way” business development approach, for the developing world.
The United Nations Task Force on Innovation, Science, and technology states in part:
"The Millennium Development Goals have become an international standard against which to assess trends in development and human well being. Their adoption in 2000 coincided with two important factors: the growing recognition of the role of science and technology in solving human problems, and the emergence of new infectious diseases………..This challenge offers new opportunities for promoting international cooperation in biomedical research of relevance to developing countries as outlined in the report of the Millennium Project Task Force on Science, Technology and Innovation.1 Addressing health challenges of the developing world will require new forms of international partnerships that take into account emerging opportunities in the globalisation of scientific knowledge………Biotechnology has emerged as one of the methods that can be used to address health and other challenges in developing countries.2 The realisation of this potential, however, depends on a diverse set of policy measures aimed at translating scientific discoveries into goods and services”.
In "Reinventing global health: the role of science, technology, and innovation".
By
Professor Calestous Juma
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA
And
L Yee-Cheong
World Federation of Engineering Organizations, Paris.
Academy of Sciences Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
Discussion:
Competence Requirements in the Biotech tropicana Systems:
This publication on the competence requirements in the Biotech tropicana Systems, is designed in versions to be updated on regular basis as work protocols evolved, and the need for more competence emerges.
Version 1.0: Basic competence Requirements
Version 1.0 discusses the basic competence requirements in the Biotech tropicana Systems. Consistent with the authorship arrangement cited above, competence requirements in the Biotech tropicana Systems falls strictly into two categories:
I) Basic Sciences, requiring an equivalent academic authority, and
II) Innovation, requiring an equivalent engineering authority.
When a competence falls between the two basic categories, Biotech tropicana Systems reserved the right to re-construe the authority claims by the candidate to fit within one the basic two categories. Typically, basic sciences will require a PhD degree or equivalent, and innovation may require an engineering degree or equivalent. See also authorship organization in (technology report, at http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/documents/Science-complete.pdf ). Each category may be further divided into appropriate levels. Basic competence requirements in the SMARThivTECHS project include:
a) Language, candidate must write, read, and speak English to an acceptable level to work in the Biotech tropicana,IncGROUP sciences and technology body. English is not an obligatory requirement, in the administrative and management bodies of Biotech tropicana Corporation; but may be an asset, in countries where English is not the primary language.
b) The Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
c) The Biomedicine of HIV
d) Bioinformatics, particularly as applied to HIV genomics and proteomics database management.
e) Electronics, as applied to Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technologies.
f) Experience, in ELISA, and PCR protocol troubleshooting. Here, candidate must be an expert in ELISA, and PCR applications. A mere use of ELISA systems or PCR systems in a laboratory, does not qualify.
g) More details, on version 1.1, to be updated in version1.2.
NOTE:
SMARThivTECHS are a quite complex system that will require different types of expertise at different levels of development and implementation. Potential partners and collaborators, with required expertise, will be contacted on need basis, as we go. Unsolicited or self-proclaimed experts will not be permitted to operate in the Biotech tropicana Systems, under no circumstance.
Version 1.2: Competence profile Statistics
The Biotech tropicana Systems secured 90% of its expertise needs through linkages to Biotechnology Hubs, in Which 90% our expertise needs are clustered. Here, we align with the United Nations Task Force on Science, technology, and Innovation recommendations on the role of the engineering profession, in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Available at http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/documents/Science-complete.pdf , page 85. Accessed August 9, 2010.
5% of our expertise needs are covered by registered collaborators and consultants of the Biotech tropicana Systems.
We are progressively covering the 5% remaining, giving priority to developing world scientists, and young professionals. Here a clear expression of consent to participate is required, through the signing of a contract of commitment.
Version 1.3: On Collaboration with developing world Universities and Institutions of Higher Education
Here we aim to collaborate with Universities and other institutions of higher education that made the "new way” adjustment in curriculum in higher education as recommended under the United Nations Millennium Development Project (UN MDP), and the United States Millennium Challenge Corporation (UN MCC). Developing world Universities and other institutions that failed to make the recommended adjustments are not eligible to operate in the Biotech tropicana Systems. This is because, work in the Biotech tropicana Systems is strictly aligned with guidelines set forth in the UN MDG and the US MCC Megaprojects. It is therefore obvious that collaboration with institutions that are not aligned with these megaprojects will generate a conflict of principles, that will result in more trouble than good.
The most single objective set for the developing world, in the new millennium is to overcome its poverty trap, and eliminate extreme poverty. To overcome the poverty trap, the "new way” in the UN MDP made a clear distinction between the engineering profession and institutions of higher education, recommending a clear set of adjustments for each class. See page 85, in technology report for recommendations on the role of the engineering profession. For the role of developing world Universities and other institutions of higher education, See page 93. [technology report, Referenced below]
The "new way” in the UN MDP states in part "Industry in the developed world has benefited from the activities of research universities, particularly from their state-of-the-art laboratories, which conduct cutting-edge research for them. Universities benefit from the research funds provided by industry.
Many universities in developing countries serve merely as degree- or certificate-awarding institutions, providing the necessary documentation for thousands of young people to apply for jobs. Marginalized in the development process, these universities seek only to churn out graduates.
Universities need to be re-envisioned as potentially powerful partners in the development process. This adjustment can be implemented in a top-down manner by changing existing norms and procedures. It can be done for all academic departments of the university or certain select ones deemed to be of more importance with regard to national development goals. Imposing new standards on only certain departments would imply widely different standards for students and faculty and would likely require a separate administrative setup for the departments with higher standards. Moreover, the university’s location would have to be appropriate for the selected disciplines. A benefit of this approach would be working with an established institution. Such an institution already has libraries, staff, and very likely some links with other research institutes. Technical institutes are created to serve industry. By nature they are disposed to work with firms. Without neglecting their essential and primary roles in capability building for technologists and technicians, some of these institutes could be upgraded to university status. New universities may also be created, particularly if a new field of knowledge in which existing universities have inadequate capability has been made a national priority or if student demand has outstripped university capacity. These universities could be entirely new institutes or expansions of industry based training institutes. For universities to be able to contribute to science and technology–based regional development, appropriate supporting institutions will be necessary. These include both enabling policies and organizations that can increase the pathways of interaction between academia, government, and industry. Specific measures include tax breaks, venture capital funding, low-interest loans, changes in intellectual property rights, higher returns on inventions, heavy investment in ICT, business incubation, and technology parks and centers within or near universities. Partnerships with other institutions, at the national or regional level, could be of great benefit. Many developing country academics are benefiting from institutional partnerships with universities and R&D institutes abroad. Research partnerships across academic, industry, and government institutions help reduce knowledge gaps, especially in small and medium-size enterprises, which often lack adequate R&D facilities.
Reshaping universities to perform development functions will include modifying their curricula, changing schemes of service, modifying pedagogy, shifting the location of universities, and creating a wider institutional ecology that includes other parts of the development process. To help universities adopt a key development role, national development plans will need to incorporate new links between universities, industry, and government (box 6.4). This is likely to affect the entire national innovation system, including firms, R&D institutes, and government organizations.
Developing countries will not be able to exploit the might of new technologies unless they become seriously involved in high-technology fields. For this reason, university curricula are vitally important. The science, technology, and innovation curricula in many developing country universities are outdated or lack a cross-disciplinary approach. In certain departments, the research emphasis needs to be shifted toward issues of local and national relevance.
University faculties in many developing countries are poorly rewarded and thus undermotivated. Faculty are not always conversant with the latest developments in their fields. Their teaching methods tend to be old-fashioned, with little use of audio-visual equipment during lectures or of advanced apparatus during laboratory sessions, for example. Some of these problems are caused by inadequate funds. Faculty need to be aware of developments at the frontiers of their research.
Research ability will need to be considered when assessing applications for graduate study. Incentives such as scholarships and low-interest loans should be made available for the most promising students. Universities that are expected to boost technology-based industry need to be located near high-tech firm clusters and research institutes, most likely in urban areas. If firm formation is expected to take off after the university is established, the university needs to be located in an area that is conducive to further development. Universities and technical institutes that are expected to play an important role with regard to community development are likely to be more effective in rural areas. Institutions that are involved in research that is very site specific will need to locate themselves, or some of their laboratories, accordingly. (Universities interested in marine research, for example, should be located near the coast.)
Universities throughout the world are undergoing reform and seeking new models to address challenges of sustainable development (box 6.5). Latin American, African, and Asian countries are exploring new approaches that can guide the creation of new universities and reform existing ones. The search is focusing on identifying appropriate curricula and pedagogy and integrating these institutions into the communities in which they are located. The new models emphasize educating graduates who serve as agents of socioeconomic change rather than mere holders of degree certificates.”
"The science, technology, and innovation curricula in many developing country universities are outdated or lack a cross-disciplinary approach......... The new models emphasize educating graduates who serve as agents of socioeconomic change rather than mere holders of degree certificates.”
Based on our analysis, The "new way” model of development emphasizes scientific knowledge, over fancy political arguments characteristic of the "old way” that, through decades of implementation in the developing world resulted in negative economic growth, reinforcement of the poverty trap, and increase in poverty, while consuming large amount of funds. Work in the Biotech tropicana Systems is strictly guided by the principles established in the new way approach. Infiltration of patterns characteristic of the old way, is not permissible under no circumstance.
After a decade of implementation, the new way has produced an impact at all levels of society in the developing world, sufficient to irreversible achieve the objectives set forth for the second decade. The downfall of the old way is definitively initiated. However, this does not mean that partisans of the old way will quit in block. In their desperate struggle for survival, and their quest for funds to finance their fancy ways of personification of power against the powerful principles of democracy, they will continue to design tricks to push their interests. As they demonstrated so far, It is obvious that they cannot succeed, because the basis of their failure to produce positive result and their capacity to produce negative economic growth, is inherent to their own fancy and counterproductive approaches. Furthermore, busy working around their counterproductive tricks, they deprive themselves all the necessary time and focus required to grasp the subtle sophistications of the theories proposed by the authority in the new way.
By refusing to make the necessary adjustments to meet the thresholds set forth by the authority in the new way, partisans of the old way in both the developed and developing world nations, set the path to their irreversible counter selection and elimination. In the Biotech tropicana Systems, we will continue to work with those who voluntary choose to make the necessary adjustments to the new way. For those who choose another way, we respect their choice , but here we must make clear that they are not eligible to operate in the Biotech tropicana Systems. For those who think they can infiltrate our system through tricks and coercion, we urge them to direct their illusions, toward other ways. The structural sophistication of the Biotech tropicana Systems alone is sufficient to defeat them.
More on the science of the new way is available in:
c) For Biotech tropicana Systems, see Biotech tropicana Journal at http://www.cgdev.org/ . Here, we simplify and publish selected topics from a) and b) in our reader friendly publications series.
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