Research in action: the training approach of the Joint Health Systems Research Project for the Southern African Region

Over the last two decades, capacity-building in health research has been recognized as a priority by the international research community. Since 1987 the Joint Health Systems Research (HSR) Project for the Southern African Region has been making efforts to increase the national expertise for operati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health policy and planning 2001-09, Vol.16 (3), p.281-291
Main Authors: Varkevisser, Corlien M, Mwaluko, Gabriel MP, Le Grand, Amanda
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa, Southern
Capacity building approach
Community
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Decision making
Developing countries
Fund Raising
Government departments
Group Processes
Health
Health administration
Health planning
Health Policy
Health Priorities
Health services
Health Services Research - organization & administration
Humans
Interdisciplinary aspects
LDCs
Medical research
Pilot Projects
Policy studies
Public Health
Quality Control
R&D
Research & development
Research projects
Researchers
Social sciences
Southern Africa
Staff Development
Training
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Summary:Over the last two decades, capacity-building in health research has been recognized as a priority by the international research community. Since 1987 the Joint Health Systems Research (HSR) Project for the Southern African Region has been making efforts to increase the national expertise for operational health research, starting in ten Southern African countries, in order to strengthen decision-making in health care at all levels. Initially, its targets were health managers and public health staff. Step-by-step, staff of different levels and disciplines have, in small groups, developed and implemented research protocols on problems experienced in their own working environment. The recommendations resulting from over 200 studies could, to a large extent, be implemented by the teams themselves. The Project was characterized by a flexible approach, allowing countries to participate at their own speed and to determine their own activities and the support they needed. As Ministries of Health as well as research institutions, in an increasing number of Southern and Eastern African countries, choose to actively participate in HSR, this has contributed to bridge the gap between the academic world and the health field. Still, sustainability of HSR activities remains a challenge. This paper describes the approach of the Joint HSR Project over the first 10 years of its operation, and its major strengths and limitations.
ISSN:0268-1080
1460-2237
1460-2237
DOI:10.1093/heapol/16.3.281