Incorporating operational research in programmes funded by the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria in four sub-Saharan African countries

Datos Bibliográficos

ID19535166
AutoresSalvador Camacho (0000-0002-7681-7960, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, autor de correspondencia), Dermot Maher (0000-0003-0466-1976, World Health Organization), Edward Mberu Kamau (0000-0002-1376-4910, World Health Organization), Jasmina Saric (0000-0002-5429-1654, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute), Luis E Segura (0000-0002-2299-9295, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute), Luis Segura, Rony Zachariah (0000-0002-2915-9328, World Health Organization), Kaspar Wy (0000-0003-0156-5989, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute)
Año2020
Volumen16
Número1
Páginas67-67
Fecha de publicación2020-12-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaGlobalization and Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1744-8603 • E-ISSN: 1744-8603
EditorialSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1186/s12992-020-00599-8
PMID32711553
OpenAlexW3045335343
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas22

BACKGROUND: The current study builds upon a previous situation analysis of the extent to which grants from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) are being utilized to support operational research and implementation research (OR/IR) activities in recipient countries. The objective of this follow-up study was to identify approaches and pathways to implement an OR component into grants to the Global Fund, in four sub-Saharan African countries. Special focus was given to the Structured Operational Research and Training IniTiative (SORT IT). METHODS: The conceptual framework was based on an analysis to identify elements supporting and blocking the integration of OR, called force field analysis, and a behavioural change assessment covering aspects such as opportunity, motivation, capability and triggers to do the integration. Data were collected through online surveys and stakeholder interviews both via telephone/online conference tools and in person in four countries with a high burden of malaria and tuberculosis. These countries were Ghana, Sierra Leone, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The stakeholders included programme managers, implementation partners, representatives from international organisations, academic and governmental research institutions and other individuals involved in the countries' needs assessment and National Strategic Plan development. RESULTS: We identified opportunities to integrate OR into the countries' programmes during the funding process, the country's needs assessment being the most important one, including the need of OR-related capacity. Both the force field analysis and the behavioural change assessment showed that the necessary elements to integrate OR were present in the countries. Motivation, capability and efficiency were found to be a managerial value omnipresent across stakeholders. However, those elements were influenced by the tendency to favour tangible assets over any abstract ones, such as increasing organisational capacity in OR. CONCLUSIONS: In each of the countries assessed, there is potential to integrating OR into the programmes supported by the Global Fund. However, given the relative lack of OR-related capacity and skills encountered, a capacity strengthening tool, such as SORT IT, would be of benefit helping to identify and carry forward OR activities sustainably

Business · Capacity building · Conceptual framework · Developing country · Development economics · Economic growth · Economics · Focus group · Health care · Health services research · Political science · Public relations · Sierra leone · Sociology · Stakeholder · Complex Systems and Decision Making · Global Health and Surgery · Health Policy Implementation Science · Marketing