Regional Strategy on
Research for Health
2012-2016
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh
Deputy Regional Director
WHO SEAR
32nd Session of South-East Asia Advisory Committee for
Health Research, Bangkok, 11-13 October, 2011
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From Health Research to Research for Health
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November 2008: Bamako Global Ministerial Forum on
Research for Health embryo of Research for Health
July 2009: 31st SEA ACHR recommended to develop
Regional Strategy on Research for Health
May 2010: 63rd WHA adopted a resolution on WHO
Strategy on Research for Health
July 2011: the final draft of the Regional Strategy on
Research for Health was discussed and finalized at the
Regional consultation in Kathmandu.
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Research for Health
Seeks to:
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Understand the impact on health of policies,
programs, actions, events in non health sectors
Assist in developing interventions to prevent or
mitigate that impact
Accelerate the achievement of MDGs, Health
equity and HFA
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Research for Health
Encourages partners and stakeholders to :
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Harness the potential of research to address priority health
challenges
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Mobilize around an agenda of research to improve the
performance of health systems based on PHC
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Link to recommendations of the WHO Commission on Social
Determinants of Health
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Link to Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health,
Innovation and Intellectual property Rights as recommended by
CIPIH, IGWG and CEWG
Source: EB124/12 Add.2, Bamako Global Ministerial Forum on Research for Health, Report by the
Secretariat, page 5
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Research for Health
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Spans the five generic areas of activity:
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Measuring the magnitude and distribution of
health problems
Understanding the diverse causes of health
problems
Developing interventions to prevent or mitigate
the problems
Implementing solutions through policies and
programmes
Monitoring and Evaluating the impact of these
solutions.
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Research for health beyond the health sector
Examples of collaboration with non health sectors
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Zoonoses: Veterinary Sciences, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Animal
Health Laborataries SARS, Avian Influenza, Rabies
Climate change: Environment, Water, Sanitation, Education, Industry,
Local Govt,  Increased incidence of water and vector borne diseases
Traffic accidents and injuries: Transport, PWD, Urban Development,
Police, Education  Physical impairments and disabilities due to
accidents
Health Equity: Social, economic, cultural and behavioral research to
identify barriers in accessing Health for All
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Research for Health
Another example
• NCDs: Multisectoral Research on the four primary risk factors
- unhealthy diets
- lack of physical activity
- harmful use of alcohol
- tobacco use
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Issues of poverty that relate to the increased incidence of
NCDs - Economic sectors and Socio Behavioral sciences
Gender role towards effective prevention of risk factors of
NCDs: Social Welfare, Women’s Affairs, Education, Rural
Development, Culture, Anthropology
Source: A prioritized research agenda for prevention and control on NCDs, WHO 2011
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Multidisciplinary research is imperative for addressing non
communicable diseases
Social
Urban
development
 Cardiovascular
 Tobacco use
disease
 Unhealthy diet
 Cancer
 Physical Prevention
and
Diabetes
inactivity Control of NCDs
 Chronic lung
 Harmful use
disease
of alcohol
Transport
Food/
Agriculture
Education
Economic
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The Guiding Principles of Research for Health
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Quality
 Scientific merit, efficient, effective, expertly reviewed
 Ethical
 Monitored and evaluated
Impact
Potential to attain health related development, health
equity and MDGs
Inclusiveness
Partnerships with stakeholders - other sectors, research
community, non governmental organizations, civil
society, governments, development and donor agencies
Source:Annex, WHO Strategy on Research for |health , doc A63/22
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Vision and Mission
Vision
Evidence from research is the basis for strengthening national health
policies, strategies and plans to achieve Health for All (HFA) and
other health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Mission
Member countries in collaboration with WHO and development partners
in research work together to harness science, technology and
broader knowledge in producing research-based evidence and tools
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Goal and Objectives
Goal
To assist member countries in strengthening research
capacity for achieving the national health and international
health goals
Objectives
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Provide a generic framework to formulate strategies towards
strengthening national health research
Strengthen national health research policy and setting health
research priorities
Develop capacity of human resources
Develop solutions for current operational issues and challenges
in specific health programmes
Address policy questions in health systems reform
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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
FOR RESEARCH FOR HEALTH
Politics
Economics
Education
Nutrition
Culture
Social
Issues
• Weak health
systems
•Insufficient
health research
• Lack of
evidence based
policy making
•Inadequate
protection of
human
participants
•Inadequate
resources for
research
Agriculture
Challenges
•More evidence for health
system based on PHC
•Strengthening national
health research
•Bridging gap between
research and policy
making
•Improving ethics in
research
•Enhance and sustain
resources for research for
health
•Promoting and
Strengthening
multisectoral research in
health
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Strategic Directions
Prioritization for research for
health
Capacity building in health
research
Research ethics
Management of research for
health
Managing research knowledge to
bridge the research-policy gap
Monitoring and evaluation of
research for health
Output
•Strong and
functioning
national health
research
•Evidence based
policy for
effective and
efficient Health
systems
Outcome
Accelerations
of efforts to
achieve MDGs
and Other
Development
Goals
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July 14,2011
Issues and Challenges in Research for Health
Issues
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Weak health systems
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Insufficient capacity of health
research
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Lack of evidence based policy
making
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Inadequate protection of
human participants
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Inadequate resources for
research
•
Challenges
More evidence for health
systems
Strengthening national health
research
Bridging gap between research
and policy making
Improving ethics in research
Enhance and sustain resources
for research for health
Promoting and Strengthening
multisectoral research in health
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Strategic Direction 1
Prioritization of research for health
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Inclusion of priorities in the national health research
policy
One size does not fit all --> Member States to use
prioritization tools/ models to suit their needs
Areas of research that can be prioritized:
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Health problems
Health Systems strengthening based on PHC
Global Strategy and Plan of action - Intellectual
Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health
Social Determinants of Health
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The Primary Health Care Reform
Four areas of reform in PHC for strengthening health
systems:
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2.
3.
4.
Service delivery: to have people-centered health
services –respond to people’s needs and expectations
Universal coverage: to ensure health systems respond
to health equity, social justice and end of exclusion
Leadership: to encourage inclusive, participatory,
negotiation based leadership of the government
Healthy Public policies: to have health in the policies
across sectors and strengthening public health
interventions
World Health Report 2008 Primary Health Care
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Iceberg of health problems
Research for health aims to “demistify” the
unknown and unseen health problems
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Strategic Direction 2
Capacity Building
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Develop a comprehensive human resource plan at the country
level in keeping with National Health Research Policy
Strengthen both demand and supply side
Enhance institutional and individual capacities in preparing
good quality research proposals based on sound research
methodology
Develop technical content based on varying needs (research
management, research ethics, scientific writing, dissemination)
Promote Twinning mechanism through horizontal collaboration
Bhutan-India, Maldives-Srilanka, and Timor-Leste-Indonesia
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Strategic Direction 3
Research Ethics
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Ethical review to be mandatory
Ethical Review Boards (ERBs) to be in position in all
research institutes in the country
Capacity of ERB members in research ethics be
enhanced
Uniform curriculum on research ethics for different
target groups be developed
Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines for
dealing with unethical practices be formulated
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Strategic Direction 4
Enhance management
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Improve stewardship in research for health at
the institutional, national and regional level
Enhance cost efficiency in conducting research
by avoiding duplication
Create partnerships with clear role and
functions
Pool donor commitments to maximize
resources
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Strategic Direction 5
Bridge the research– policy gap
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Improve access to Research links and connections
through maximum use of existing information
technology
Capacity building in analysis and transfer of knowledge
to policy
Create forum for researcher-policy maker interface
Use of media as vehicle for influencing policy makers
Use of network among researchers, policy makers and
society for advocacy
More publications and dissemination of research
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findings for building awareness
Strategic Direction 6
Monitoring and Evaluation
Two levels of monitoring and evaluation:
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At the Strategic Direction level
 Relevant indicators to measure success in achieving
Outputs of each Strategic Direction
Strengthening national health research as a whole
 Relevant indicators to measure success of Strategic
Directions as a whole to strengthen national health
research
Feedback mechanism at both levels of M and E
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THANK YOU
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