Thematic guide: Get research into NGO policy and practice - get NGO policy and practice into research
image: sevenroads.org
The challenge for the members of the Medicus Mundi International Network – as for all non-governmental organisations – related to dealing with research can be expressed in two simple slogans: "Get evidence into NGO policy and practice!" and: "Get NGO practice into research!" - Our thematic guide to internet resources on research priorities and partnerships leads you beyond the limits of the Medicus Mundi International Network.
Any important resources missing? Please let us know.
Selected papers: Health systems research, policy and (NGO) practice
- Better guidance is welcome, but without blinders
David H. Peters and Sara Bennett discuss a PLoS Medicine series on guidance for evidence-informed decisions about health systems. PLoS Medicine 2012
www.plosmedicine.org - Fostering synergies in global health research
Input by Rene Loewenson, TARSC, at the "Ideal Match" symposium 2011
www.nvtg.org - Building the field of health policy and systems research: An agenda for action
Sara Bennet et al. in: PLoS Medicine 2011
www.plosmedicine.org - Political will for better health, a bottom-up process
"To give due attention to the role of social movements in influencing health policy, it will be necessary to ensure the participation of civil society organizations in the research agenda setting, and – in many situations – in the research itself." Wim De Ceukelaire, Pol De Vos and Bart Criel in: TMIH 2011
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com - Implementation research: close the gap between what we know and what is being done
DD. Nicholas in: Global Health Magazine 2011
http://bit.ly/heQngs - Defining Research to Improve Health Systems
"The aim of this paper is to present working definitions of operational research, implementation research, and health systems research to provide greater clarity for non-specialists, scientists, policymakers, and donors working to strengthen health systems." Robert Terry et al. in: PLoS Medicine 2010
www.plosmedicine.org - Scaling up research and learning for health systems: now is the time
Even small investments in research can inform policy and focus implementation in ways that drive success, eliminate health systems failures and, most importantly, make best use of scarce resources in low-income countries. WHO 2009, pdf
http://www.who.int/entity/rpc/publications - WHO Research for Health Strategy
approved by the 63rd World Health Assembly, May 2010
www.who.int - Exploring health systems research and its influence on policy processes in low income countries
Adnan Hyder et al., in: BMC Public Health 7:309, 2007
www.biomedcentral.com - The role of NGOs in global health research for development
Hélène Delisle et al., in: Health Research Policy and Systems 2005, 3:3 www.health-policy-systems.com
MMI Network and Network members
- An Ideal Match?! Connecting NGOs and Academia in Research for Global Health. Amsterdam, 14 September 2011
The symposium co-organized by the MMI Network members Cordaid and Wemos together with various partners brings together health and action-oriented NGOs and academic institutions around international/global health research.
www.nvtg.org - Health Systems Research and NGOs
Building up mutually beneficial partnerships
Antwerp workshop, 11 November 2010
At this workshop, nongovernmental organizations working in the field of international health cooperation and research institutions discussed past and ongoing cases of research partnerships, the win-win approach of academic research and NGO action and the related challenges.
www.medicusmundi.org - Medicus Mundi International Network
MMI Research policy: www.medicusmundi.org
MMI Research team: www.medicusmundi.org
Key resources
- Health Research Web
Information on national health research systems in low and middle income countries. A new service from the Council on Health Research for Development. www.healthresearchweb.org - Journal: Health Research Policy and Systems
www.health-policy-systems.com - WHO: Research policy publications
www.who.int/rpc/publications - WHO: World Health Report 2012
No health without research (upcoming)
www.who.int/rpc/whr2012 - HR4D-net (Health Research for Development)
"A global email discussion group dedicated to promoting health research to improve the health of people in developing countries." HR4D-net is a collaboration of INASP and the Global Forum for Health Research.
www.dgroups.org/groups/hr4d-net - SUPPORT project
The SUPPORT Network's objective is to provide training and support to encourage researchers and policymakers in collaborative policy-relevant research.
www.support-collaboration.org - Bridging the Know-Do Gap: A Resource for Researchers
"Link research and evidence more closely with policy and practice in health development" A knowledge translation toolkit by Gavin Bennett and Nasreen Jessani (ed.), IDRC 2011
http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca/dspace/bitstream/10625/46152/1/132642.pdf
Global initiatives and thematic leaders
- Council on Health Research for Development (Cohred)
Cohred supports low and middle income countries to strengthen their national health research systems and set health research priorities.
www.cohred.org - Global Forum for Health Research
"The Global Forum for Health Research provides evidence, tools and discussion forums for decision-makers in research funding and policy to improve the health of poor populations through reserarch for health." The Global Forum for Health Research is now part of the Cohred group.
www.globalforumhealth.org - Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR)
"HPSR is an international collaboration based in the WHO Geneva. It has its origins in the recommendations of the 1996 report of WHO's Ad Hoc Committee on Health Research which identified lack of health policy and systems research as a key problem impeding the improvement of health outcomes in low and middle income countries. It aims to promote the generation and use of health policy and systems research as a means to improve the health systems of developing countries." www.who.int - WHO: Research Policy
www.who.int - Evidence-informed Policy Network (EVIPNet)
EVIPNet promotes the systematic use of research-for-health evidence in policy-making. Focusing on low and middle-income countries, EVIPNet promotes partnerships at the country level between policy-makers, researchers and civil society in order to facilitate both policy development and policy implementation through the use of the best scientific evidence available.
www.evipnet.org - Global Development Network (GDN): Health
"A leading International Organization of developing and transition country researchers, policy and research institutes promoting the generation, sharing, and application to policy of multidisciplinary knowledge for the purpose of development."
http://cloud1.gdnet.org/cms.php?id=health_theme
Conferences and conference documentations
MMI Network events
- see here
Upcoming events
- Second Global Symposium on Health Systems Research
Bejing, China, 30 October - 3 November 2012
"Inclusion and Innovation Towards Universal Health Coverage" as conference topic: "While suggestions received spanned a large array of topics within health systems research (HSR), they specifically recommended the inclusion of neglected topics and population groups, and of innovations that are not only technological but also methodological. Contributors also emphasized the desire to engage in a more interactive way, and with a variety of other stakeholders including policy-makers, and participants from other fields and disciplines related to health systems research."
www.hsr-symposium.org - Forum 2012, Cape Town, 24-26 April 2012
Forum 2012 will challenge a new look at development. Under the theme of ”Beyond Aid… Research and Innovation as key drivers for Health, Equity and Development" COHRED and the Global Forum for Health Research will focus on potentials, solutions, and developing capacities – specifically in low- and middle-income countries and emerging economies – and how global collaboration can leverage this for a new era of global development support. Research, science & technology and innovation for health and equity are crucial to this.
www.forum2012.org
Past events
- First Global Symposium on Health Systems Research
Montreux, Switzerland, 16-19 November 2010
www.hsr-symposium.org - Global Forum for Health Research - Annual Forum
Havana, Cuba, 16-20 November 2009
"Innovating for the Health of all”
www.globalforumhealth.org/Forum-2009 - The Global Ministerial Forum on Research for Health
Bamako, Mali, 17-19 November 2008
The Forum brought together up to 1000 policy-makers and researchers to focus on the key linkages between the health sector and research, science and technology, higher education, and the global innovation system.
www.bamako2008.org - Equitable access: research challenges for health in developing countries
Beijing, 29 October - 2 November 2007
Report on "Forum 11", download as PDF.
www.globalforumhealth.org
MSF: Benchmark for NGO research
- Conducting operational research within a non governmental organization: the example of Médecins Sans Frontières
R Zachariah et al. in: International Health, Volume 2, Issue 1, March 2010 (www.internationalhealthjournal.com pdf viewer) - MSF operational research policy
"What exactly do we mean by operational research in MSF, which types of research do we consider as being a priority and how do you go about starting and managing a research study?" (2008, pdf)
http://fieldresearch.msf.org - Development of operational research in MSF
"A rough guide for field staff". Clair Mills, 2006, pdf
http://fieldresearch.msf.org - MSF Field research website
"MSF is known for its humanitarian medical work, but it has also produced important research based on its field experience. Its studies have been published in more than 100 peer-reviewed journals and have often changed clinical practice and been used for humanitarian advocacy. MSF's scientific articles archived on this website are available free."
http://fieldresearch.msf.org
Research funds
- GDNet: Funding your research
http://cloud2.gdnet.org - European Commission: 7th Framework Programme (FP7)
"International Cooperation continues to be a priority, with the possibility of involving partners from any part of the world, in most cases with EU funding. There are also a number of topics which are either for programme level cooperation with non-European countries, that will require collaboration with these countries, or for Specific International Cooperation Actions (SICA) that require the involvement of at least two partners from the target region(s)."
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/health - IDRC: Funding opportunities
IDRC funds research activities that are designed to directly benefit developing countries and their citizens. Here you will find information about how to apply for funding and how to manage the funds you receive.
www.idrc.ca
