Health research in the Western Pacific

Health research entails systematic collection or analysis of data with the intent to develop generalizable knowledge to understand health challenges and mount an improved response to them. The full spectrum of health research spans five generic areas of activity: measuring the health problem; understanding its cause(s); elaborating solutions; translating the solutions or evidence into policy, practice and products; and evaluating the effectiveness of solutions.

The need for credible evidence on what works is urgent, as many countries in the Western Pacific Region are still struggling to provide minimal health services to their populations with significant preventable morbidity and mortality. However, the ultimate benefit of health research lies in its translation into strategies, technologies and interventions that are effectively and appropriately delivered to benefit the people, in particular the poor and other vulnerable groups.