For the first five years IDRC has made a commitment of US$10million while the Hewlett Foundation has committed US$40 million and theGates

For the first five years, IDRC has made a commitment of US$10million, while the Hewlett Foundation has committed US$40 million and theGates Foundation has committed US$40 million. "We believe good national development policy decisions are best made wheninformed by robust research and analysis grounded in local realities," saidMark Suzman, director of policy and advocacy for the Global DevelopmentProgram at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "The Think Tank Initiativemarks an important step forward in helping forge stronger partnerships betweenresearchers and policymakers in the developing world. We believe it is apowerful model for achieving change and hope that other donors will join us inthis initiative to help improve the lives and livelihoods of millions ofpeople." "The Hewlett Foundation has made a total commitment of $100 million over 10years to strengthen research in the developing world because we believe thatpublic policies work best when they are informed by the research of localscholars, and that good local research requires strong local institutions,"said Paul Brest, president of the Hewlett Foundation. "Today's announcement isa central part of that commitment, and we are confident that this approachwill go a long way toward helping advance policies that will reduce poverty inthe developing world."In August 2009, IDRC will issue a call for Expression of Interest from thinktanks in Latin America and South Asia. For nearly 40years, IDRC has worked in close collaboration with researchers from thedeveloping world to build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperoussocieties.

the William and Flora Hewlett FoundationThe William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has been making grants since 1967 tohelp solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. TheFoundation concentrates its resources on activities in education, theenvironment, global development, performing arts, philanthropy, andpopulation, and makes grants to support disadvantaged communities in the SanFrancisco Bay Area. Learn more at About the Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationGuided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. Indeveloping countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving themthe chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the UnitedStates, it seeks to ensure that all people--especially those with the fewestresources--have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school andlife.

Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikesand Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and MelindaGates and Warren Buffett. Learn more at SOURCEBill & Melinda Gates Foundation; The William and Flora HewlettFoundation; Canada's International Development Research CentreIDRC, Isabelle Bourgeault-Tasse, +1-613-696-2343, ;or The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Jack Fischer, +1-650 234-4500x5744, ; or Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,+1-206-709-3400, . Medical Simulation Corporation to Introduce Central Line Management Program atthe National Teaching Institute and Critical Care ExpositionSimulation-based program helps healthcare providers build competence andconfidence while keeping infections at bayDENVER, May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Simulation Corporation (MSC) willlaunch the SimSuite Central Line Management Program at AACN's NationalTeaching Institute (NTI) and Critical Care Exposition, the world's largestconference for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients, May16-21, in New Orleans, LA. The Central Line Management Program is the latestoffering in a full menu of MSC simulation-based curriculum that addressnational initiatives led by organizations, such as the Institute forHealthcare Improvement, Joint Commission, Leapfrog, CDC and Medicare, to trackand improve patient safety and quality in the hospital setting. Each year, an estimated 250,000 cases of central line-associated bloodstreaminfections (CLABSI) occur in hospitals in the United States.