Researchers invited to innovate

General News on Thursday, June 13, 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

2019-06-13

Dr. Delanyo Davlo, retired director of health systems and services at the United Nations Regional Office for Health in Africa, called for innovation and a focus on problem solving "adopted by researchers to deal with the country's burning health problems.

He added that while all sorts of important research was done, most strategies depended on "opportunistic" external grants that did not always target national health priorities.

Dr. Davlo, who made this call during a keynote address at the opening of the National Symposium on the Dissemination of Health Research (NHRDS) in Accra, emphasized the importance of research and quality data to inform policy decisions and propose sustainable solutions to key health challenges in Africa. .

He noted, however, that his role in research at the regional office made it possible to realize that only 3% of the research coming from the Africa region was led by local researchers.

Significant resources from global health initiatives, such as the Global Fund, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), have significantly reduced morbidity and mortality badociated with major diseases.

"We have not seen a major development of truly sustainable and responsive systems based on important local health priorities, such as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)," he said.

He added that Africa was facing a "triple burden of disease": noncommunicable diseases, communicable, reproductive and maternal and reproductive health-related diseases at unacceptable levels, and that extraordinary urbanization is increasing. was a starting sign for the spread of services, which remained anchored in a rural health paradigm.

Dr. Dovlo called for strategies to make research the engine of innovation and progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

He recommended the development of a firm strategy for research funding, which should include the mobilization of national funds to improve total health expenditures.

It also encouraged the broadening of resource allocation, often distorted by targeted and unsustainable foreign aid, while prioritizing the implementation of research and ensuring innovative results that meet the needs of the public. "Our different context".

He also called for the development of a research strategy too broad to guide the generation of priorities; to make research capacity available to all health professionals and health institutions at all levels to ensure critical problem-solving capacity for UHC

The annual symposium was jointly organized by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Evaluate project in collaboration with the Research, Statistics and Information Management Directorate (RSIMD). ) of the Ministry of Health and the Division of Health Research and Development (RDD) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

The theme of the symposium is "Accelerating progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 through research, innovation and partnerships".

Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, said the symposium offered opportunities for scientific researchers to share their work with implications for policy, program and practice to accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs.

He added that his goal was also to support UHC, improve maternal and newborn health and reduce premature mortality from NCDs.

Dr. Nsiah-Asare praised the efforts of the three major county research institutes in Navrongo, Kintampo and Dodowa for their involvement in achieving major health outcomes, but admitted that it was necessary to do more by changing things in the past. .

Lawrence Odartey Lawson, deputy director of the Ministry of Health, said the results of the meeting, along with other research findings, would be incorporated into policy decisions aimed at strengthening and bridging gaps in the health system. Ghanaian.

Dr. Abraham Hodgson, Director of the GHS Research and Development Division, explained that there would be oral presentations and posters, group discussions and speeches, as well as plenary sessions during which focus group representatives would report on key issues raised during the meeting. sessions for further discussion.