First global symposium on health systems research
A gathering of researchers, policy-makers, funders, and other stakeholders representing diverse constituencies will convene in Montreux, Switzerland 16-19 November to share evidence, identify significant knowledge gaps, and set a research agenda that reflects the needs of low and middle-income countries.
The four-day event will include plenary sessions, concurrent sessions, panel and working group discussions, and poster presentations. A call for abstracts on science to accelerate universal health coverage has been announced. All information related to background documents, committee members, registration, abstract submission and the programme will be posted at relevant WHO websites.
Universal health coverage
The first symposium will be dedicated to improving the scientific evidence needed by health policy-makers and practitioners to inform their decisions related to accelerating universal health coverage.
Achieving and sustaining universal health coverage requires attention to a broad range of issues that are central to health systems performance. This includes drawing on the six interdependent health system building blocks – finance, workforce, services, technologies, information, and governance – and understanding how policies and programmes from within and beyond the health sector can be developed and implemented effectively, efficiently, and equitably.
Although universal health coverage is highly country and context specific, rigorous scientific research has the potential to generate evidence to inform better policy and practice within and across countries. For example, robust methodologies could be instrumental in identifying how the services for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, immunization and maternal and child health can be scaled up to reach the poor and disadvantaged more quickly and sustainably in low-income countries. Similarly, prospective monitoring and evaluation of universal health coverage policies in middle-income countries can help to better target the vulnerable populations and make important mid-course corrections.
The symposium’s objectives
The specific objectives of the symposium are to:
• share state-of-the art research on universal health coverage;
• develop a global agenda of priority research on accelerating progress towards universal health coverage;
• facilitate greater research collaboration and learning communities across disciplines, sectors, initiatives and countries;
• strengthen the scientific rigor of the field of health systems research including concepts,
frameworks, measures and methods;
• identify mechanisms for strengthening capacities – individual, institutional and infrastructural – for research on health systems particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
How is the symposium being organized?
A Steering Committee has been set up to oversee the development and organization of the Symposium. The membership of the Committee includes representatives from UN agencies, donor governments, and private foundations, and senior health policy-makers from developing countries. In order to ensure scientific rigour and robustness of the outputs emanating from the Symposium, a Scientific Committee will also be set up to provide technical inputs into the organization of the Symposium. The membership of this Committee will comprise leaders of the scientific research community interested in health systems research in both developed and developing countries. A small WHO-based secretariat is set up and responsible for the organization, administrative and operational support in the planning and preparation of the Symposium.
A growing number of international organizations, donor governments, private foundations, and research partnership programmes are co-sponsoring the Symposium.
For a list of all partners and more information please visit the symposium website.
For more information please contact : healthsystemresearch@who.int