Implementation research for the control of infectious diseases of poverty
Strengthening the evidence base for the access and delivery of new and improved tools, strategies and interventions
Summary
This report shows how implementation research can increase access to health interventions in low and middle income countries. It explains how it can be used to strengthen health systems, improve patient safety, expand community-based interventions and local implementation capacity, and improve the outcomes of public-private partnerships and global health initiatives. The report provides numerous case studies and a "roadmap for action" on how to better use this research field. More than 120 people from across the globe came together for this project, with the goal of defining the value of implementation research and highlighting the gaps in this area. Researchers, implementers, scientists and representatives from product development partnerships (PDPs) attended an initial meeting organized in conjunction with the Ministry of Health of Uganda in Kampala, 28-30 June 2010. They provided critical input and analysis into a draft outline of the issues, which was then further developed by a team of authors from low, middle and high income countries, who provide a rich variety of perspectives and experiences.