Aidam Jude, Sombié Issiaka
West African Health Organisation, 01 BP 153, Bobo-Dioulasso, 01, Burkina Faso.
Health Res Policy Syst. 2016 Apr 20;14:30. doi: 10.1186/s12961-016-0102-7.
The West African Health Organization (WAHO) implemented a research development program in West Africa during 2009-2013 using the Knowledge for Better Health Research Capacity Development Framework, developed by Pang et al. (Bull World Health Organ 81(11):815-820, 2003), on strategies used to improve the research environment. The framework has the following components: stewardship, financing, sustainable resourcing and research utilization. This paper describes how WAHO implemented this research development program in the West African region to help improve the research environment and lessons learnt.
This is a retrospective review of the regional research development program using a triangulation of activity reports, an independent evaluation and the authors' experiences with stakeholders. This program was designed to address gaps along the components of the framework and to improve partnership. The activities, results and challenges are summarised for each component of the framework. The independent evaluation was conducted using over 180 semi-structured interviews of key stakeholders in the West African region and activity reports. WAHO and major stakeholders validated these findings during a regional meeting.
All 15 ECOWAS countries benefited from this regional research development program. WAHO provided technical and financial support to eight countries to develop their policies, priorities and plans for research development to improve their research governance. WAHO, along with other technical and financial partners, organised many capacity-strengthening trainings in health systems research methodology, resource mobilization, ethical oversight and on HRWeb, a research information management platform. WAHO helped launch a regional network of health research institutions to improve collaboration between regional participating institutions. Further, WAHO developed strategic research partnerships and mobilised additional funding to support the program. The program supported 24 health research projects. High staff turnover, weak institutional capacities and ineffective collaboration were some of the challenges encountered during program activity implementation.
The regional collaborative approach to health research development using this framework was effective given the challenges in the West African region. The achievements particularly with improved research partnerships and funding helped strengthen local health research environments. This highlights WAHO's role and the common experiences in the West African region in improving health research.
西非卫生组织（WAHO）在2009 - 2013年期间，依据庞等人（《世界卫生组织公报》81(11):815 - 820, 2003）制定的“增进健康知识研究能力发展框架”，在西非实施了一项研究发展计划，该计划围绕用于改善研究环境的策略展开。该框架包含以下几个部分：管理、融资、可持续资源配置以及研究成果应用。本文描述了西非卫生组织如何在西非地区实施这一研究发展计划以助力改善研究环境以及从中吸取的经验教训。
这是对该区域研究发展计划的回顾性分析，采用了活动报告、独立评估以及作者与利益相关者的经验相结合的三角测量法。该计划旨在弥补框架各部分存在的不足并加强合作关系。针对框架的每个部分总结了活动、成果及挑战。独立评估通过对西非地区180多名关键利益相关者进行半结构化访谈以及参考活动报告来进行。西非卫生组织和主要利益相关者在一次区域会议上对这些结果进行了验证。
所有15个西非国家经济共同体（ECOWAS）国家都从这一区域研究发展计划中受益。西非卫生组织向8个国家提供了技术和资金支持，以制定其研究发展政策、优先事项和计划，从而改善其研究治理。西非卫生组织与其他技术和资金伙伴一起，组织了许多关于卫生系统研究方法、资源筹集、伦理监督以及在一个研究信息管理平台HRWeb上的能力强化培训。西非卫生组织帮助建立了一个卫生研究机构区域网络，以改善区域参与机构之间的合作。此外，西非卫生组织建立了战略研究伙伴关系并筹集了额外资金来支持该计划。该计划资助了24个卫生研究项目。人员流动率高、机构能力薄弱以及合作效率低下是计划活动实施过程中遇到的一些挑战。
鉴于西非地区面临的挑战，采用该框架的区域卫生研究发展合作方法是有效的。特别是在改善研究伙伴关系和资金方面所取得的成就有助于加强当地的卫生研究环境。这凸显了西非卫生组织的作用以及西非地区在改善卫生研究方面的共同经验。
