Table 1 Overview of development, implementation and evaluation of the integrated knowledge translation approach in CEBHA+

Step 1

Nov 2018

In a foundational workshop developed and implemented by the Centre for Evidence Based Health Care, Stellenbosch University [31], one of the South African CEBHA+ partners, IKT focal points from each CEBHA+ site were introduced to the concepts of evidence-informed decision-making, IKT, and the overarching CEBHA+ IKT approach. Participants were introduced to the programme theory and received practical training on how to develop an IKT strategy (stakeholder mapping, stakeholder analysis, stakeholder engagement strategies) and draft a site-specific IKT strategy

Step 2

Nov 2018

Workshop participants acted as multipliers within their country teams and shared their knowledge and skills gained during the workshop with the rest of their team members. By using the tools introduced during the workshop, country teams were requested to jointly agree on priority stakeholders with whom to engage over the course of the CEBHA+ project and to refine the site-specific IKT strategy drafted during the foundational workshop

Step 3

Nov 2018 –Jan 2019

Each country team consulted priority stakeholders to introduce CEBHA+and IKT and to gauge their interest in the research topic as well as their preferences for engaging with the CEBHA+ research team

Step 4

Feb 2019

Country teams met to review and synthesise the information obtained in previous steps and to finalise the site-specific stakeholder analysis and IKT strategy

Step 5

Feb 2019–Dec 2022

Country teams are implementing and refining their site-specific IKT strategies and monitoring the indicators they defined as part of their site-specific IKT strategy

Step 6

Feb 2020–Jul 2022

A two-step evaluation, by LMU Munich, of the coordinated IKT approach and the site-specific IKT strategies will assess the added value of the IKT approach in CEBHA+ (stage one ongoing, stage two scheduled for Mid-2022)