immunisations, breast-feeding, etc. The primary focus is on women and children. Furthermore, all admissions to the country’s sole paediatric ward in the capital are recorded.

The thorough registration process provides the Bandim Health Project with a unique opportunity to study the population effects of new health interventions such as the introduction of new vaccines, vitamin A supplementation or the distribution of bednets to prevent malaria. Research from the project has led to several important discoveries. One of the most important findings was that a new measles vaccine used in low-income countries was associated with a two-fold increase in mortality among girls. This discovery led to the withdrawal of the vaccine. Had it not been withdrawn, it could have cost at least ½ million additional female deaths per year in Africa alone. As illustrated by this example, it has been the experience that the most important health interventions, including vaccines and vitamin A supplementation, have non-specific and sex-differential effects.

The Bandim Health Project is led by Peter Aaby (sw18358.asp). Peter Aaby holds a research professorship grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Bandim Health Project is a co-founder of the Graduate School in International Health at Copenhagen University. Since the project’s foundation in 1978, more than 450 scientific articles have been published, and 31 PhD or doctoral degrees and 13 Master of International Health degrees have been obtained by researchers employed by the project.

The Bandim Health Project is a member of The ENRECA (ENhancement of REsearch CApacity) Network (http://enrecahealth.ku.dk). Enhancing research capacity among local physicians in Guinea-Bissau is considered of vital importance. The Bandim Health Project is also part of Centre for International Health (CISU (www.cisu.dk)) at Copenhagen University, and of The InDepth Network, a network of demographical surveillance sites in Africa and Asia (www.indepth-network.org). Furthermore, the project collaborated closely with Aarhus University and several research institutions both in Denmark and abroad.

The Bandim Health Project receives grants from Danida, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Danish National Research Foundation, Forskningsrådet for Sundhed og Sygdom, The Lundbeck Foundation, EU, March of Dimes and many others.