A new special issue of the Pan American Journal of Public Health showcases research findings from studies jointly supported by TDR, the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
The Alliance-hosted Implementation Research Platform is committed to bringing policy-makers and researchers closer together to overcome local health systems challenges. In 2018, a collaborative initiative with PAHO and TDR established a programme of embedded implementation research focusing on how to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. Studies focused on SDG3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages) and SDG 10 (Reduce inequalities within and among countries).
Thirteen grants were jointly awarded to policy-makers and
researchers in 11 countries to find ways to improve health decision-making in
the Americas. The focus of the studies under the Embedded Implementation Research for the
Sustainable Development Goals initiative was far ranging –
from improving access to and delivery of mental health services in Peru, to the
prevention and control of tuberculosis in Argentina and Colombia.
A new special issue of the Pan American Journal of Public Health showcases the research findings from a number of these studies, with an editorial from the lead partners and reflections from the Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, who served as the technical support centre for the initiative, providing additional context.
Each study provides strategies for overcoming gaps in policy implementation in particular settings. The case for formalizing and consolidating relationships between different stakeholders – especially researchers and policy-makers – is also made.
Although the initiative mainly focused on joint work between policy-makers and researchers, some articles highlight the importance of engaging health workers and communities to better understand implementation issues. This was especially important in Colombia, where involving indigenous groups was shown to be critical in the prevention and control of TB in the department of Cauca.
This special issue comes out hot on the heels of the Decision-maker-led Implementation Research on Immunization (DELIR) supplement of Health Research Policy and Systems (HARPS), which was also launched by the Implementation Research Platform earlier this month. It adds to the growing body of implementation research on an array of topics and in multiple geographic regions over the past decade. It also continues to underscore the importance of the embedded approach in solidifying evidence-informed policy-making structures and in strengthening health systems.
For more information, please contact Dr Garry Aslanyan.