Information, Evidence and Research
Research Promotion Newsletter
November 2017
» Research grants
» Investment in research: WHO-funded research generates new evidence Gaps in the Process of Case Detection, Reporting and Feedback of Severe Acute Malnutrition Program in Three Governorates in Yemen : A Quantitative Study
This project received funding under a WHO “Improving Program Implementation through Embedded Research” research grant, which was offered in collaboration with the “Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research”. The research was conducted by a group from Hadramout University - College of Medicine, Yemen. Outcomes of the study were published in MOJ Public Health
January, 2017: New TDR implementation research funded in Eastern Mediterranean Region
Eight new implementation research proposals have been selected for the Joint TDR-WHO-EMRO Small Grants Scheme. The goal of these grants is to strengthen the capacity of individuals and institutions in low-and middle-income countries to conduct implementation research and identify solutions that respond to health needs in their countries. Supported projects on neglected tropical diseases of poverty, malaria and tuberculosis were from Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan, Sudan and Yemen.
March 2017: New Research in Priority Areas of Public Health funded in Eastern Mediterranean Region
Twelve health research proposals have been recommended for funding under the Research in Priority Areas of Public Health (RPPH) 2016–2017 grant scheme. The aim of the grant is to promote health research as a tool for national development programming, and to increase the use of evidence-based action and health planning for provision of equitable health care. Funded projects were on health system development (Libya, Sudan); emergency preparedness and response (Islamic Republic of Iran); communicable disease control (Lebanon, Palestine); maternal and child health (Egypt, Jordan); nutrition (Lebanon); and mental health disorders (Pakistan).
» Meetings
November 2016: Meeting of the Eastern Mediterranean Research Ethics Review Committee
6-7 November 2016 – The research promotion and development unit, as Secretariat of the Research Ethics Review Committee, organized its annual meeting in order to review and finalize new sections added to the Ethics Review Committee checklists; address new challenges to bioethics in the Region; discuss ethics in clinical practice and decision-making; and prepare for the regional summit of national ethics committees (April 2017).
April 2017: Eastern Mediterranean/Arab states regional summit of national ethics and bioethics committees
5–6 April 2017 – The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, in collaboration with the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) and the Oman National Bioethics Committee, Sultan Qaboos University, organized the first Regional Bioethics Summit for the Eastern Mediterranean/Arab States in Muscat, Oman.
» Capacity-building
December, 2016: WHO-NCI-USAID Implementation Science Skills Development Workshop
5-6 December 2016 – A regional workshop on implementation science was organized at WHO/EMRO in coordination with the US National Institutes of Health - National Cancer Institute (NIH-NCI), and US Agency for International Development (USAID). The workshop included 20 participants from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Morocco, in addition to 9 facilitators from USAID (Egypt, Jordan, USA); NIH-NCI; University of Alabama, USA; Be Healthy Be Mobile, WHO/HQ and WHO/EMRO. The facilitators observed participants grasp nuanced theories of dissemination and implementation research, practical concepts of project design, great enthusiasm for using these tools in their research.
February, 2017: TDR Implementation Research, Bahrain
In collaboration with the Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain, Tropical Disease Research (TDR), WHO/HQ and WHO/EMRO organized a regional workshop for capacity building on implementation research as applies to neglected tropical diseases. The main objectives of the workshop were to introduce implementation research concepts; apply different study designs for specific TDR topics; use basic statistical analytical techniques, interpretation and presentation of TDR research outcomes; understand and observe ethical principles in conduct of research on human subjects; prepare a plan for monitoring, evaluating, disseminating and fostering utilization of generated evidence for health policy-makers.
February, 2017: Policy brief development workshop for decision makers
28 February 2017– In collaboration with WHO/EMRO, the Iran Food and Drug Administration (IFDA) conducted a national policy brief development workshop for decision makers. Its objectives were to raise awareness about evidence-informed policy making; build capacity of top managers on preparing and using evidence briefs for their decisions. More than 60 participants, including Health and Curative deputies of ministry of health; representatives of IFDA, insurance organizations (Social Security Organization; Iran Health Insurance Organization); health research institutes attended the workshop. Participants were divided into smaller groups to discuss needed pharmaceutical policies to develop policy briefs. At the end of the workshop, each group submitted its conclusion in the prepared forms for assessment and control of prescribing and use of medicines / health products.
April, 2017: Libyan delegation visits WHO/EMRO to discuss support for health research
24-25 April 2017– Representatives from the Libyan Ministry of Health - National Center for Disease Control paid a 2-day visit to WHO/EMRO, to discuss support in establishing a NCDC research unit, including its structure, roles, responsibilities, functions and capacity-building needs. The visit was organized by WHO country office in Libya, and hosted by the Department of Information, Evidence and Research.
» Surveys and studies
Mapping of Research for Health in The Eastern Mediterranean Region
WHO/EMRO conducted a regional survey aiming at synthesizing prior mapping attempts for EMR health research; carrying out situation analysis of landscape of health research institutions (including existent resources; possible gaps in the research cycle and support systems). Detailed report and outcomes are expected to be shared during second half of 2017.
Bibliometric analysis
To complement the health research institutions mapping survey, a bibliometric analysis was performed covering detailed annual rates of biomedical research publications in each country, defining most proliferate institutions in each of the countries, and analyzing some basic indicators of the social aspects of collaborative health research. Detailed report and outcomes are expected to be shared during second half of 2017.
» Global news
The revision of the CIOMS International Ethical Guidelines for Health-related Research Involving Humans guidelines has been published. These guidelines clarify distinctions between research ethics, social science research, public health surveillance, and other research activities in addition to detailed commentaries on how they should be applied, with particular attention to conducting research in low- and middle-income countries.
Introducing the Global Observatory on Health Research and Development (R&D)
In January 2017, WHO launched its Global Health Observatory on Research and Development (R&D). This global platform was developed by WHO and led by a health R&D expert committee with the aims of addressing investment gaps in health R&D and helping to identify R&D priorities based on public health needs. As recommended with WHO’s Strategy on Research for Health, the Observatory will provide actionable data linked to databases and reports, and will consolidate, monitor, and analyze information to support coordinated country actions towards improving health R&D globally.
Contact us
Research Promotion and Development Programme
Department of Information, Evidence and Research
World Health Organization
Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean
WHO Street, extension of:
Abdel-Razak El-Sanhouri Street
P.O.Box 7608, Nasr City (11371)
Cairo, Egypt
emrgorpd@who.int
+202 22765348; 22765452
+202 2670 2492 / +202 267 2494
http://www.emro.who.int/research
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