Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda.
Hum Resour Health. 2013 Dec 23;11:68. doi: 10.1186/1478-4491-11-68.
The need to develop capacity for health services and systems research (HSSR) in low and middle income countries has been highlighted in a number of international forums. However, little is known about the level of HSSR training in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We conducted an assessment at four major East and Southern African universities to describe: a) the numbers of HSSR PhD trainees at these institutions, b) existing HSSR curricula and mode of delivery, and c) motivating and challenging factors for PhD training, from the trainees' experience.
PhD training program managers completed a pre-designed form about trainees enrolled since 2006. A desk review of existing health curricula was also conducted to identify HSSR modules being offered; and PhD trainees completed a self-administered questionnaire on motivating and challenging factors they may have experienced during their PhD training.
Of the 640 PhD trainees enrolled in the health sciences since 2006, only 24 (3.8%) were in an HSSR field. None of the universities had a PhD training program focusing on HSSR. The 24 HSSR PhD trainees had trained in partnership with a university outside Africa. Top motivating factors for PhD training were: commitment of supervisors (67%), availability of scholarships (63%), and training attached to a research grant (25%). Top challenging factors were: procurement delays (44%), family commitments (38%), and poor Internet connection (35%).
The number of HSSR PhD trainees is at the moment too small to enable a rapid accumulation of the required critical mass of locally trained HSSR professionals to drive the much needed health systems strengthening and innovations in this region. Curricula for advanced HSSR training are absent, exposing a serious training gap for HSSR in this region.
在多个国际论坛上都强调了在中低收入国家发展卫生服务和系统研究（HSSR）能力的必要性。然而，人们对撒哈拉以南非洲（SSA）的 HSSR 培训水平知之甚少。我们在东非和南非的四所主要大学进行了评估，以描述：a）这些机构 HSSR 博士生培训人数，b）现有的 HSSR 课程和交付模式，以及 c）从培训生的经验来看，博士生培训的激励和挑战因素。
博士生培训计划管理人员填写了一份关于自 2006 年以来入学的培训生的预先设计的表格。还对现有的卫生课程进行了桌面审查，以确定提供的 HSSR 模块；博士生完成了一份自我管理的问卷，内容是他们在博士培训期间可能经历的激励和挑战因素。
自 2006 年以来，在卫生科学领域注册的 640 名博士生中，只有 24 名（3.8%）是在 HSSR 领域。没有一所大学有专门针对 HSSR 的博士培训计划。这 24 名 HSSR 博士生是与非洲以外的一所大学合作培训的。博士生培训的主要激励因素是：导师的承诺（67%）、奖学金的可用性（63%）和与研究资助挂钩的培训（25%）。主要挑战因素是：采购延误（44%）、家庭承诺（38%）和互联网连接不良（35%）。
目前 HSSR 博士生的数量太少，无法迅速积累所需的大量经过本地培训的 HSSR 专业人员，从而推动该地区急需的卫生系统加强和创新。高级 HSSR 培训课程缺失，暴露了该地区 HSSR 培训的严重差距。
