Meeting ends with recommendations to improve health research in Africa.
Brazzaville, 15 January 2013 – The African Advisory Committee on Health Research and Development has concluded its 27th session in Brazzaville, Congo with a range of recommendations aimed at improving health research in the Region.
The recommendations focussed on building research health systems, co-ordination of research activities, innovative funding mechanisms, strengthening partnerships, research planning, production and translation, monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of research projects
In a speech delivered on his behalf at the opening session, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo said:” The depth and breadth of research in health reflects the diversity of the causes of ill health, of the interventions that restore health and well-being, and of the measures that prevent people and populations from becoming ill in the first place”.
“Without research, there would be inferior versions – or none at all- of the blood tests, vaccines, medicines, technologies and other products that are used to keep us healthy and to diagnose, treat and cure us when we are sick”, Dr Sambo said in the message delivered by the Director of the Health Systems and services Cluster, Dr Bokar Toure.
The Regional Director pointed out that research should inform the laws and regulations that protect public health, the strategies to achieve health equity, and health services delivery. He called on countries in the Region to invest in research that adds value to addressing priority health problems and strengthen organization structures, as well as the much needed capacities to produce and use research.
Other issues discussed include plans for the first-ever African Forum for Health Research as well as the report of the Consultative Expert Working Group (CEWG).
The three-day meeting began on Tuesday 15th January 2013 with the primary objective of providing input to the draft regional strategy for health research which responds to the health challenges of the Region. It is expected that all countries in the region will have a functional health research system during the course of the new strategy.
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For more information, please contact:
Prof Peter Ndumbe Tel: +47 24139158; Email: ndumbep [at] afro.who.int
Collins Boakye-Agyemang, + 472413 9420 E-mail: Boakyec [at] afro.who.int
Joana Teixeira + 4724139382 E-mail: Teixeiram [at] afro.who.int