1.G. Round table: Global health and capacity building

Contact: [email protected]

National health systems require coherent, sound and robust health policies, strategies and plans that improve access to quality care, and promote equity and solidarity. Decision makers, policy makers and health managers have to formulate evidence-informed policies and plans, which are relevant for the local context. Public health institutes, universities and schools of public health in low- and middle-income countries should have a prominent role in providing decision-makers with relevant information and policy advice. The EC's EuropeAid’s ' Supporting Public Health Institutes Programme” (SPHIP) is designed to strengthen the public health capacity of research institutions in developing countries, in undertaking research relevant for policy making, and in translating that scientific knowledge into concrete recommendations for health decision-makers. The issue of knowledge translation will be discussed; it is not only relevant for research institutes in developing countries but also for European researchers. Three researchers will provide examples of joint efforts to build in-country capacity for policy formulation:

• Formulation of a National Policy for the Laboratory Network in Haiti, process of situation analysis and policy formulation with national and international stakeholders in Global Health Security and infectious diseases control.

• Formulation of a National Policy for Universal Health Coverage in Uganda, process of stakeholders’ involvement and policy formulation. Joint effort by consumers, patients, decision makers and scientists to come together with government institutions to a national policy that receives broad support.

• Formulation of policy recommendations for urban healthcare for the poor in Bangladesh, process of knowledge synthesis and policy dialogue. Bringing knowledge from fragmented

• sources together and debate with decision-makers from public and private background the best ways to implement health systems improvement, based on obtained evidence.

The team leader SPHIP support team will present: Capacity building for knowledge translation in the SPHIP programme, engaging in dialogue with policy makers in health. A round table discussion will take place on how to capacitate local research institutions to play a prominent role on the health policy formulation.

Key messages:

• Research institutes in developing countries can play a pivotal role in health policy development. These organisations have thorough knowledge of the country's socio-economic context and networks.

• Research institutes in developing countries need to be capacitated for this role, especially in knowledge translation of research, lobby and advocacy for evidence-informed policy making.