Health policy and systems research and analysis in Nigeria: examining health policymakers' and researchers' capacity assets, needs and perspectives in south-east Nigeria

• Published in: Health research policy and systems 2016-02, Vol.14 (13), p.13-13, Article 13
• Main Authors: Uzochukwu, Benjamin, Mbachu, Chinyere, Onwujekwe, Obinna, Okwuosa, Chinenye, Etiaba, Enyi, Nyström, Monica E, Gilson, Lucy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administrative Personnel - organization & administration; Awareness; Communication; Cross-Sectional Studies; Financing, Government - legislation & jurisprudence; Financing, Government - methods; Health care policy; Health Policy; Health Services Research - economics; Health Services Research - organization & administration; Humans; Information Dissemination - methods; Leadership; Medical policy; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Nigeria; Policy making; Politics; Public health; Research Personnel - economics; Research Personnel - organization & administration; Study and teaching; Systems Analysis; Universities - organization & administration
• ISSN: 1478-4505; 1478-4505
• DOI: 10.1186/s12961-016-0083-6

Health policy and systems research and analysis (HPSR+A) has been noted as central to health systems strengthening, yet the capacity for HPSR+A is limited in low- and middle-income countries. Building the capacity of African institutions, rather than relying on training provided in northern countries, is a more sustainable way of building the field in the continent. Recognising that there is insufficient information on African capacity to produce and use HPSR+A to inform interventions in capacity development, the Consortium for Health Policy and Systems Analysis in Africa (2011-2015) conducted a study with the aim to assess the capacity needs of its African partner institutions, including Nigeria, for HPSR+A. This paper provides new knowledge on health policy and systems research assets and needs of different stakeholders, and their perspectives on HPSR+A in Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Enugu state, south-east Nigeria. It involved reviews and content analysis of relevant documents and interviews with organizations' academic staff, policymakers and HPSR+A practitioners. The College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu campus (COMUNEC), was used as the case study and the HPSR+A capacity needs were assessed at the individual, unit and organizational levels. The HPSR+A capacity needs of the policy and research networks were also assessed. For academicians, lack of awareness of the HPSR+A field and funding were identified as barriers to strengthening HPSR+A in Nigeria. Policymakers were not aware of the availability of research findings that could inform the policies they make nor where they could find them; they also appeared unwilling to go through the rigors of reading extensive research reports. There is a growing interest in HPSR+A as well as a demand for its teaching and, indeed, opportunities for building the field through research and teaching abound. However, there is a need to incorporate HPSR+A teaching and research at an early stage in student training. The need for capacity building for HPSR+A and teaching includes capacity building for human resources, provision and availability of academic materials and skills development on HPSR+A as well as for teaching. Suggested development concerns course accreditation, development of short courses, development and inclusion of HPSR+A teaching and research-specific training modules in school curricula for young researchers, training of young researchers and improving compet