This short-term review of the International Health Partnership (IHP+) was commissioned by the IHP+ Scaling-up Reference Group to assess whether programme partners are adhering to their commitments and to review what progress has been made in implementing an IHP+ interagency common work-plan. The review was undertaken between May and August 2008 and is based on the opinions of 100 key informants who represent a cross-section of partner agencies, civil society and national ministries of health in the initial IHP+ countries and at the international level. It found that the relevance of IHP+ is not widely understood, transparency is essential for ensuring accountability (which also depends on the availability of reliable information). If well designed, the planned annual external monitoring and evaluation review of the IHP+ could potentially function as the key global accountability mechanism and it is still too early to assess what impacts or external effects that can be attributed to the IHP+.
Monitoring equity and research policy
The International Panel on Social Progress (IPSP) is a global initiative that brings together a large group of scholars brought together to compile evidence across disciplines to rethink ideas of a just society. They recognised the interconnected forces of: weakening traditional nation states; technological change; profound and unequal transformations in health and education outcomes; and contestations between the religious and secular. IPSP have produced this report aimed at social actors, movements, organisations, politicians and decision-makers, to provide them with the best evidence on questions that bear on social change. The report has 22 chapters covering a comprehensive range of areas that have an important bearing on society now and into the future. It is the first comprehensive synthesis of social sciences knowledge about key issues facing humankind today. This first draft is available for public consultation and comment and IPSP invite comments from all concerned citizens and organisations. There is a web based platform for comments and inputs.
This 'cartographic' and political economy analysis of Frantz Fanon’s ‘geographies’ points to a series of narrative maps that draw attention to the differential geographies of racism and colonialism, using geography, landscape, cartography, architecture, space, place, and borders, to make sense of blackness and oppression and liberation. Fanon’s envisions anti-colonial geographies as always in flux, nested in, yet cannot be fully defined by, the colonial imperative. Stasis – even the street or the walls of the clinic – is impossible. Colonial geographies are thus identified as unsustainable because, even in their heaviness, they are impermanent, in flux, and alterable.
In this study, researchers systematically reviewed the evidence on the impact of interventions for seeking, appraising, and applying evidence from systematic reviews in decision-making by health policymakers or managers. A total of 11,297 titles and abstracts were reviewed leading to retrieval of 37 full-text articles for assessment; four of these articles met all inclusion criteria. Three articles described one study where five systematic reviews were mailed to public health officials and followed up with surveys at three months and two years. The studies found that from 23% to 63% of respondents had used the systematic reviews in policymaking decisions. One trial indicated that tailored messages combined with access to a registry of systematic reviews had a significant effect on policies made in the area of healthy body weight promotion by health departments.
This case study from South Africa focuses on the lessons learnt from communicating the results of four trials evaluating treatment for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) as a new strategy for HIV prevention. The authors show that contextual factors such as misunderstandings and mistrust played an important role in defining the communications response. Use of different approaches in combination was found to be most effective in building understanding, credibility and trust in the research process. During the communication process, researchers acted beyond their traditional role of neutral observers and became agents of social change. This change in role is in keeping with a global trend towards increased communication of research results and presents both opportunities and challenges for the conduct of future research. Despite disappointing trial results which showed no benefit of HSV-2 treatment for HIV prevention, important lessons were learnt about the value of the communication process in building trust between researchers, community members and policy-makers, and creating an enabling environment for future research partnerships.
As researchers, we struggle constantly to ‘publish’, ‘disseminate’, ‘communicate’, or ‘influence’. We write short pieces which summarise our work. We organise and attend meetings. We give radio or television interviews. We offer evidence to parliamentary committees. Occasionally, we even answer the phone and find a decision-maker on the other end of the line. So much activity, for so uncertain an impact. And so little guidance on how to use our scarce resources. Surely, we can do better."
Stuck for a punchy conclusion to a scientific paper? Best avoid the mantra 'more research is needed' - a US epidemiologist has now devised a way to work out whether, for any given study, this claim is justified.
Changes in policy at all levels of a healthcare system are often necessary to achieve program objectives and secure the success of performance improvement activities. In the course of our work, JHPIEGO has helped to develop, implement and evaluate policy in many countries and at a variety of levels. The latest technical report, "JHPIEGO's Work In Policy: A Comprehensive Review", documents JHPIEGO's efforts in policy development (particularly through the Training in Reproductive Health Project), and reveals a scope that was underestimated even by many JHPIEGO staff. To obtain a copy of the technical report, please contact Kathleen Hines.
Activist researcher Ravi Narayan, a member of the Foundation Council of the Global Forum, speaks of the necessity for all groups working towards people’s health, including researchers, to listen to each other. Hard evidence is essential for progress he says – especially evidience collected and analysed by researchers in least developed countries.
Price continues to be a major barrier to reliable access to medicines in Kenya. To help address this issue, the MOH conducts surveys on a quarterly basis to monitor medicine prices. Information is collected and widely disseminated on availability, affordability, and price variation of a basket of medicines in the public, private and mission sectors. This report highlights the findings of the survey, based on data collected in January 2007. Comparisons are also highlighted between data for January 2007 and previous months (April, July and October 2006) for some key findings of the survey.