Research-to-Policy Partnerships for Evidence-Informed Resource Allocation in Health Systems in Africa: An Example Using the Thanzi Programme

TY - JOUR

T1 - Research-to-Policy Partnerships for Evidence-Informed Resource Allocation in Health Systems in Africa: An Example Using the Thanzi Programme

AU - Nabyonga-Orem, Juliet

AU - Kataika, Edward

AU - Rollinger, Alexandra

AU - Weatherly, Helen Louise Ann

PY - 2024/1

Y1 - 2024/1

N2 - Objectives: Empirical data on the impact of research-to-policy interventions are scant, with the few attempts mainly focusingon ensuring policymakers’ timely access to evidence and evidence-informed dialogs.Methods: This article reflects on how the Thanzi Programme cultivates an approach of research-to-policy engagement inhealth economics. The program is structured around 3 interrelated pillars comprising research evidence generation,capacity and capability building, and research-and-policy engagement. Each pillar is described and examples from theThanzi Programme are given, including illustrating how each pillar informs the other. Limitations and challenges of theapproach are discussed, with examples of a way forward.Results: This program supports health system strengthening through addressing gaps identified by program partners. Thisincludes providing health economics training and research and strengthened partnerships between in-country researchersand health policymakers, as well as between national and international researchers. Platforms bringing togetherresearchers and policymakers to shape the research agenda, disseminate evidence, and foster an evidence-based dialogare institutionalized at country and regional levels. Health Economics and Policy Units have been established, which sitbetween the Ministries of Health and Universities, to augment policymakers and health economics researchers’engagements on priority health policy matters and determine researchable policy questions. The establishment of theHealth Economics Community of Practice as a substantive expert committee under the East Central and Southern AfricaHealth Community bolsters the contribution of health economics evidence in policy processes at the regional level.Conclusions: The Thanzi Programme is an example of how a research-and-policy partnership framework is being used tosupport evidence-informed health resource allocation decisions in Africa. It uses a combination of high-qualitymultidisciplinary research, sustained research and policymakers’ engagement and capacity strengthening to use researchevidence to guide and support policy makers more effectively.Keywords: capacity building, health economics, knowledge translation, north-south partnership, research-to-policyengagement.

AB - Objectives: Empirical data on the impact of research-to-policy interventions are scant, with the few attempts mainly focusingon ensuring policymakers’ timely access to evidence and evidence-informed dialogs.Methods: This article reflects on how the Thanzi Programme cultivates an approach of research-to-policy engagement inhealth economics. The program is structured around 3 interrelated pillars comprising research evidence generation,capacity and capability building, and research-and-policy engagement. Each pillar is described and examples from theThanzi Programme are given, including illustrating how each pillar informs the other. Limitations and challenges of theapproach are discussed, with examples of a way forward.Results: This program supports health system strengthening through addressing gaps identified by program partners. Thisincludes providing health economics training and research and strengthened partnerships between in-country researchersand health policymakers, as well as between national and international researchers. Platforms bringing togetherresearchers and policymakers to shape the research agenda, disseminate evidence, and foster an evidence-based dialogare institutionalized at country and regional levels. Health Economics and Policy Units have been established, which sitbetween the Ministries of Health and Universities, to augment policymakers and health economics researchers’engagements on priority health policy matters and determine researchable policy questions. The establishment of theHealth Economics Community of Practice as a substantive expert committee under the East Central and Southern AfricaHealth Community bolsters the contribution of health economics evidence in policy processes at the regional level.Conclusions: The Thanzi Programme is an example of how a research-and-policy partnership framework is being used tosupport evidence-informed health resource allocation decisions in Africa. It uses a combination of high-qualitymultidisciplinary research, sustained research and policymakers’ engagement and capacity strengthening to use researchevidence to guide and support policy makers more effectively.Keywords: capacity building, health economics, knowledge translation, north-south partnership, research-to-policyengagement.

KW - capacity building, health economics, knowledge translation, north-south partnership, research-to-policy engagement.

U2 - 10.1016/j.vhri.2023.10.002

DO - 10.1016/j.vhri.2023.10.002

M3 - Article

SN - 2212-1099

VL - 39

SP - 24

EP - 30

JO - Value in Health Regional Issues

JF - Value in Health Regional Issues

ER -