Sponsoring national processes for evidence-informed policy in the health sector of developing countries - Zambia

Developing a knowledge translation platform for health policy and systems research in Zambia

Established in 2005, the Zambia Forum for Health Research (ZAMFOHR) is a knowledge translation platform designed to strengthen the capacity of researchers and research-users to produce, synthesize, access, discuss, adapt and ultimately use evidence.
This project addresses three of ZAMFOHR’s strongest challenges:
• Although several examples can be cited where scientific evidence has been used to shape policies in the health system, there is no mechanism or structure in place to ensure that evidence for making policy decisions, resource allocations and program management is identified, requested, obtained and used.
• While the intentions (and to some extent the structures) are in place to promote the use of evidence in policy-making and program management, the actual capacity to understand available knowledge translation (KT) process and use KT tools, is weak. Specific training programs are needed to prepare both researchers and research users to learn these processes and apply these tools.
• Significant progress has been made within the past year to create a database of research products conducted by Zambian researchers about Zambia-relevant health issues. However, the current database is in its infancy.

With the overall objective of the grant to develop a national knowledge translation platform that will strengthen the capacity of researchers and research-users to produce, synthesise, access, discuss, adapt and use evidence, the specific objectives are:
Promoting Policy Dialogue In cooperation with the Ministry of Health, ZAMFOHR will begin to proactively discuss the role of research evidence with policy-makers and programme managers. Through a series of workshops and personal exchanges the goal of this objective is to build functional linkage and exchange between users and producers. National policy dialogue would be based each year on one issue, which is relevant within national health sector plan. Thus, one policy dialogue will be done each year.
Capacity Strengthening
The aim here is to help researchers develop actionable messages for their target audiences by following a process of research harvesting and synthesis leading to output development. Researchers will be trained to access and contextualize systematic reviews on relevant policy issues, use the ZAMFOHR database to access appropriate resources, and produce user-friendly content that reflects the findings. The objective is to create a viable mass of local researchers capable of synthesizing evidence and preparing briefs that convey the messages of their research to policy-makers and programme managers.
Resource Centre Development Development of a database of health policy and systems research relevant to Zambia, including scientific papers, policy briefs and systematic reviews, will be key to strengthening the Resource Centre. This will be achieved by searching the literature (published and grey), searching the list of all relevant proposals undergoing ethical review, and actively interviewing scientists in Zambia.

Successful completion of this grant will lead to (among other things):
• A well-trained cadre of health researchers better able to understand the policy environment as well as the techniques necessary to bring research evidence to bear on policy. This will also have the “trickle down” effect of creating research projects that are more relevant to policy, and more in line with national priorities.
• A network of researchers with skills to present research messages in a way that policy-makers, programme managers, and the public can understand.
• A policy context more accepting of health research, and more committed to using evidence in policy formulation. This will also contribute to a “knowledge culture” that will increasingly demand, acquire, adapt and use evidence. Better trained research-users will foster a health system that creates necessary and timely knowledge.

Project description

Programme: Supporting national processes for evidence-informed policy in the health sector of developing countries

Research title: Developing a knowledge translation platform for health policy and systems research in Zambia

Thematic Research Area: Evidence to Policy

Grantee Country: Zambia

Grantee Institution: The Zambia Forum for Health Research (ZAMFOHR)

Program Coordinator/Principle Investigator: Dr Joseph Kasonde

Start date: March 2009

Status of grant: Completed

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