Challenges for Scientific Writing

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Challenges for Scientific Writing

• Ruth Nduati, MBCHB, MMED, MPH
• Associate Professor of Paediatrics
• University of Nairobi

2
Outline

• Opportunities for training in research methods.
• Opportunities for research
• Barriers for scientific communication.
• Incentives for scientific writing and way forward

3
Training on Research

• Masters in Medicine (MMED) offered in Medical
  schools across sub-Sahara Africa.
• thesis based on original research is a core
  requirement
• International Clinical Epidemiology Network
  INCLEN
• AFRICLEN
• Clinical epidemiology units
• (Rockerfeller Foundation support)
• International AIDS Research Training program
  (Fogarty International Centre)
• University to University programs
• University of Bergen MPH, PhD programs
• University of Dar-es-Salaam and Karolinska
  Institute etc.

4
Opportunities for Research

• Established National Research Institutes
• Free-standing Medical Research Institutes
• University Departments
• Collaborative research groups
• Foreign research outfits
• Welcome Trust, CDC, Walter Reed

5
Barriers to scientific communication

• Competing demands of care provision
• PEPFAR program implementation
• Heavy teaching load
• Diminishing financial support to Universities by
  Governments
• Introduction of fee-paying programs and other
  income generating activities at Universities to
  ensure sustainability
• Research institutes developing training programs
  as income generating

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Barriers to scientific communication

• Dependence on foreign funding for research
  activities
• Data ownership?
• Limited support for data analysis
• Inadequate skills in scientific writing
• Limited access to mentorship on scientific
  writing
• Limited access to journals
• Perception that established journals are really
  not interested in the materials from developing
  country researchers

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Barriers to scientific communication

• In the collaborative projects vetting process a
  disincentive to writing eg.
• Research/non research determination process
• Under-valuing of publication of research work
  carried out by graduate students under faculty
  supervision

8
Barriers to scientific communication

• Competing activities necessary for survival
• Poverty - poor remuneration by primary employer
• in-order to survive, individuals engage in other
  economic activities and therefore time for
  intellectual activities is diminished.

9
Incentives for writing and publishing

• Publish or perish promotion is based on number
  of publications
• Scholarship to scientific meetings linked to
  acceptance of an abstract

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Way forward

• Deliberate development of ongoing mentorship for
  scientific writing.
• Scientific writing skills building workshops
  linked to the AIDS conferences?
• Engage universities in a dialogue on the value of
  time-protection for faculty to engage in
  research.
• Research track
• Deliberate support to African Universities to
  strengthen financial stability without
  sacrificing research and scientific development

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Muchas Gracias