What could we do at

1
What could we do at this stage to further
involve policy makers?
2
WHA A58/34 Resolution 2(5) URGES Member States
"To establish or strengthen mechanisms to
transfer knowledge in support of evidence- based
public health and health-care delivery systems,
and evidence-based health-related policies"
3
WHA A58/34 Resolution 4(4) REQUESTS the
Director-General "To assist in the development
of more effective mechanisms to bridge the
divide between ways in which knowledge
is generated and ways in which it is
used, including the transformation of health
research findings into policy and practice"
4
EVIPNet (Evidence-informed Policy Networks)

• Invitations to WPRO countries thru MOH to respond
  to first, planning phase by submitting letters of
  intent to develop in-country mechanisms to
  strengthen research to policy linkages
• Workshop for potential applicants in Kuala
  Lumpur, Malaysia (June 13-15, 2005)
• 7 teams participated (Laos, Malaysia,
  Philippines, Vietnam and China-Shandong, Sichuan,
  Beijing)
• Evaluation of proposals ongoing, awards by end
  2005
• Extension of networks idea to Africa in 2006
  (SIDA)

5
Planning phase components (1)

• Define appropriate catchment area
• Identifying and building the right team
• Identifying and initiating relevant partnerships
  and linkages
• Obtaining commitment from relevant stakeholders

6
Planning phase components (2)

• Setting priorities on content topics to be
  tackled
• Identifying location of network
• Planning and defining realistic milestones
• Identifying local financial and in-kind support

7
EViPNET Workshop, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June
13-15, 2005
8
What they told us about what works.

• Simplify and package research results
• Research embedded in implementation
• Integration of new interventions into existing
  platforms
• Researchers involved in scale-up
• "Hot" topic for government
• Long time frames

9
.and what doesn't

• Lack of timely data for policy makers
• Limited access to information
• Lack of appropriate research agenda (including
  post-policy research) and weak HSR capacity
• Lack of research quality assurance
• Poor understanding of the value of research
• Distortion of evidence

10
Opportunities and benefits for collaboration
with SEA-ORCHID

• Establish links between country teams and
  SEA-ORCHID focal points in countries
  (research-policy) leading to better in-country
  networking and dialogue
• Workshops on building and strengthening capacity
  for synthesis of research and packaging evidence
  for policy makers
• Facilitating inter-sectoral linkages to ensure
  sustained change, e.g. with ministries of
  education to ensure inclusion in medical
  curricula (inter-ministerial)
• Jointly developing relevant research agenda
  (including post-policy research)

11
Working together to promote implementation of
effective interventions and identifying gaps in
knowledge
12
"There is a pathway from good science to
publication to evidence, and to programs that
work. In this way research becomes an inherent
part of problem-solving and policy
implementation" Julio Frenk, Mexican Minister of
Health
"There is unity between research and health
care-there is no fundamental difference and
the two are separated only by time" Harvey
Fineberg, President, IOM