Table 5 Characteristics of CEBHA + institutions, institutional and macro KT and IKT context
Name of the institution (abbreviation), department; City, Country; CEBHA + research tasks | Institution’s NCD research focus | Institutional KT infrastructure, KT structures and regular KT activities beyond the research institution, capacity-building, networks |
|---|---|---|
Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), NCD research directorate Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Research tasks: RT1, RT2 | Research focus: Cancer research, NCD risk factors, podoconiosis and air pollution Further information: Funding sources are the Swedish, Norwegian and Ethiopian governments | Institutional KT infrastructure - The AHRI Knowledge management directorate has goals that overlap with CEBHA +’s, which led to joint activities; support for networking and capacity-building activities - AHRI’s CEO is regularly involved in round table discussions at MoH Broader KT structures and activities - The Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) through its KT directorate is building the culture of evidence generation, synthesis and utilisation by delivering different capacity-building training to different stakeholders and partners. EPHI is mandated to conduct systematic reviews, issue briefs, policy briefs that will be utilised for the decision-making process at the MoH Capacity-building - EPHI is delivering different training and mentorship support planned by CEBHA + initiatives - Multiple existing EIDM short courses organised by other parties Networks Existing network of organisations and individuals interested in IKT and EIDM in the country |
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Global and Public Health Department Blantyre, Malawi Research tasks: RT3 | Research focus: Broad range of public health research | Institutional KT infrastructure - The Research Support Centre at KUHeS organises annual research dissemination conferences which are attended by policy-makers Broader KT structures and activities - The Research Unit at the MoH regularly invites researchers to jointly work on policy briefs, which includes a prioritisation exercise and building communities of practice. Finalised policy briefs may be discussed in policy dialogue or parliamentary committee - Malawi KTP ‘s main function is to promote evidence-informed health policy. It provides a coordinated approach to the generation and utilisation of health research. KTP Malawi facilitates research dialogue between CEBHA researchers and policy-makers - MEIRU researchers are commonly invited to technical working groups Networks - There are further networks fostering EIDM work in the country, e.g. the EVIDENT network aiming to enhance research responsiveness to policy needs - Health Economics Policy Unit (HEPU) policy lab is a platform where key stakeholders develop research proposals, implement research and process evidence into policy - AFIDEP focuses on strengthening the capacity in evidence use for decision-making and providing evidence for technical assistance to increase progress towards the sustainable development goals Overall small public health community in the country, some researchers with previous policy-making expertise and vice versa which facilitates collaboration |
Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU) Lilongwe, Malawi Research tasks: RT1, RT2 | Research focus: NCDs | |
University of Rwanda (UR), College of Medicine and Health sciences Kigali, Rwanda Research tasks: RT1-4 | Research focus: Broad range of health and public health research | Broader KT structures and activities - Regular exchanges with Planning, M&E and Health Financing Departments at Rwanda MoH - Close collaboration with the health implementation body (Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC)), boundary spanner roles between UR and RBC Networks Strong movement for citizen science and research co-production approaches, involving knowledge users and communities |
Chronic Disease Initiative for Africa (CDIA), Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town Cape Town, South Africa Research tasks: RT1, RT2 | Research focus: Development and evaluation of models of chronic disease care and prevention | Broader KT structures and activities - Involved in consultation rounds related to the new National Strategic Plan for NCDs and Obesity Prevention - Representative from the provincial DoH attending CDIA management committee meetings Networks Network of multidisciplinary researchers and policy-makers which serves as a regional hub |
South African Medical Research Council, Cochrane South Africa (CSA) Cape Town, South Africa Research tasks: RT1-3, RT5 | Research focus: Evidence synthesis, evidence-informed decision-making and knowledge translation | Institutional KT infrastructure - CSA and SU’s CEBHC are dedicated to evidence synthesis, knowledge translation, and promoting the uptake of current best evidence in healthcare policy and practice in Africa Broader KT structures and activities - Long-standing collaboration between CSA and SU working with the same stakeholders, in particular through guideline work and providing systematic reviews for the SA government as well as previous projects linking researchers and decision-makers - CSA: Regular contribution to expert committees as evidence experts for national and provincial departments of health Capacity-building - SU: regular courses on EIDM and knowledge translation: ‘Evidence-Informed Decision-Making: The Art, Science and Complexity of (Integrated) Knowledge Translation’ and ‘Engaging with Decision-makers: Issue Briefs for policy and practice’ for students, researchers, public health practitioners and policy-makers (Jessani, Hendricks 2022)) Networks - CSA is part of the global, independent Cochrane network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health. Cochrane is a non-profit organisation that prepares and disseminates information (in the form of reviews) on what works and what doesn’t in healthcare. These reviews enable policy-makers, health service providers and the public to make informed decisions The CEBHC and CSA jointly manage and lead the SA GRADE Network, which aims to advance the learning about and use of GRADE for evidence-informed decision- making for policy and practice in South Africa |
Stellenbosch University (SU), Centre for Evidence Based healthcare (CEBHC) within the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health Stellenbosch, South Africa Research tasks: RT2-3, RT5 | Research focus: Evidence-based healthcare Further information: The Dept. of Global Health aims to address complex health and social problems and to advance health equity | |
Makerere University (MU), School of Public Health, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Trauma, Injuries and Disabilities Unit Kampala, Uganda Research tasks: RT4 | Research focus: Prevention of road traffic injuries, mobility and health | Institutional KT infrastructure - The unit undertakes regular research dissemination workshops Broader KT structures and activities - Unit member was co-opted onto the National Road Safety Committee - CEBHA + researchers contributed evidence for the parliamentary committee concerned with road traffic injuries (through the policy briefs and dissemination meetings) and participated in drafting the National Road Safety Action Plan Networks The institution has a strong reputation and is perceived as an authority in research and health topics |