National Commission for Science & Technology
Health Research Capacity Strengthening Initiative
Dr Mathildah Chithila
Programme Manager
Introduction
• HRCSI is a programme implemented by NCST
• Five year programme
• Funded by Wellcome Trust and DFID
NCST Mandate
To advise Government & other Stakeholders
on all Science and Technology Matters in order
to achieve Science & Technology led
Development
Key Programs in NCST
PROGRAM
FUNDING
Health Research Capacity Strengthening Initiative
(HRCSI)
DFID/WT
Biotechnology and Biosafety
USAID/PBS
Traditional Medicine Research (TRAMED) Programme
NAC
Ethanol-driven Vehicle Research Programme (EDVR)
Malawi
Government/ETHCO/Press Cane
Sustainable Development Network Program (SDNP)
UNDP/Revenue
National Schools Science Fair
Malawi Government/Kamuzu
Academy
Secondary Schools Science Competition
Malawi Government/Arkay
Plastics
Women in Science and Technology Network (WISTNET)
Malawi Government
HRCSI Mission
To strengthen health research capacity and empower
researchers to collaborate effectively within and across
institutions through funding opportunities in Malawi
Governance of HRCSI
• NCST Board
– oversight over implementation and financial management
• Multidisciplinary Health Research Committee (MHRC)
–
review of applications and making funding recommendation to
the Board
HRCSI KEY OUTPUTS
Promoting use of
research in formulating
of national health
policies and programmes
Enhancing dissemination
of scientific knowledge in
Malawi
Strengthening regulation
and coordination of the
national research
environment
Enhanced institutional
capacity for high quality
multi-disciplinary health
research
Promotion of health research in
Malawi
HRCSI SCHEMES
Research Grants:
Multidisc., Senior
& Junior
Undergraduate
grants
internships
HRCSI Grant
Schemes
Institutional Grants
Training
Fellowships
Other initiatives
• Research priority setting
• Co-funding of research dissemination
conferences
• Bio-ethics training
Achievements
• Training fellowships
– HRCSI has awarded:
• 37 training fellowships
– 6 PhD and 31 MSc awardees.
– 8 of the MSc students have completed studies and
resumed work in Malawi.
– Health research career development
• BSc to MSc
• MSc to PhDs
• Health research career
Achievements
• Research grants
– Capacity building through research grants
• 2 pursuing PhD degrees through MaRCH study
• 4 doing Msc degrees through a TB Health Education Cluster
Randomised Controlled Trial in Ntcheu District
Achievements
• Dissemination of research results
– Financially supported Research Dissemination
Conferences
• CoM, Poly, NCST and local researchers
– Research papers presented at various national and
international conferences by HRCSI grantees
• Undergraduate student research grant
• Training fellowship awardees
• Research grant recipients
– Publications emerging from both research grant
recipients and training fellowship awardees
Achievements
• Undergraduate Research Grants
– 397 undergraduate students awarded grants
– Further training opportunities for HRCSI funded
undergraduate students
– Increased research interest among undergraduate
students and lecturers in constituent colleges of the
university of Malawi
Achievements to date
• Health research priority setting
– HRCSI facilitated development of the National
Health Research Agenda.
– NHRA now a policy document that will guide
research priorities in Malawi for the period 20122016.
Achievements
• Programme level collaboration and partnerships
– COHRED and HRCSI: enhancement of health research
information systems
– CNHR and HRCSI : information sharing on lessons learnt
– HRCSI and IDRC: technical assistance on knowledge
management
– HRCSI and MoH: NHRA development
– HRCSI and CoM: bioethics training
– HRCSI and PwC: grant systems strengthening
Partnerships and collaboration at Project level
PI
Research Project
Partnerships and purpose
Dr F
Lampiao
(CoM)
in vitro and in vivo
investigation of medicinal
herbs that could be used
as a reversible male
contraception.
Stellenbosch University,
South Africa: technical
support, laboratory
supplies
Dr P
Nyasulu
(Wits)
Effectiveness of Health
Education and Awareness
Model on early TB
diagnosis in resourcelimited settings: Cluster
Randomised Controlled
Trial
MoH- Ntcheu District
Health Office: Involvement
of health personnel in
health centres, hospitals
and communities; CHSUTB Control Programme on
programme coordination
Partnerships at Project level
PI
Dr K Phiri
(CoM)
Research Project
Malaria rebound in
cotrimoxazole
prophylactic HIV
exposed children
Partnerships and purpose
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
on DNA testing
Liverpool School of Tropical
Medicine -mentorship;
SACORE PhD funding for a
co-investigator; Zomba
Central Hospital – Project
host
ENHANCING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
IN MALAWI
Contact the NCST/HRCSI…
Website:
www.ncst.mw
Telephone:
01 774 475
Email:
hrcsi@ncst.mw