This is becoming quite a live topic - what are the overall consequences
of programmes like those funded by the Gates Foundations focusing on
single diseases.
Paul


Paul Bywaters
Emeritus Professor of Social Work
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Coventry University 
Priory Street
Coventry
CV1 5FB

Tel.: 02476 795945 or 795384
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Devlin, Switzerland [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: 11 December 2007 16:03
To: HIF-net
Subject: [hif-net] New report: How global health research can deliver
essential research, achieve impact and build national systems

(with apologies for cross posting)

Dear Colleagues,

Responsible Vertical Programming: How global health research can deliver
essential research, achieve impact and build national systems

COHRED -- the Council on Health Research for Development -- is pleased
to announce the release of its 2007 Annual Statement that studies the
effect of global disease-specific health research programmes on health
research in low and middle income countries.

The report asks: Are global health research programmes doing enough to
develop research systems and skills in low and middle income countries?

It advises that these 'vertical' programmes are uniquely placed to be
catalysts that help these countries improve their health research
capacity over the long term - if programmes agree to invest in research
system development, as well as achieving their research objectives.

Read the report at www.cohred.org/statement

COHRED encourages debate and feedback on the topic of 'responsible
vertical programming' in health research, all comments are welcome at
[log in to unmask]

A summary is posted below.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Michael Devlin

COHRED

[HIF-net profile: Michael Devlin is Head of Knowledge Sharing and
Advocacy
at the Council on Health Research for Development COHRED), an INGO and
partnership of countries working to improve health research systems, for
better health and equity. Key programme areas are research management,
research capacity strengthening and responsible vertical programming
(for
international health initiatives). www.HealthResearchForDevelopment.org 
[log in to unmask]]

---------------------------

PRESS RELEASE (advance distribution)

COHRED - Council on Health Research for Development

Are international health research programmes doing enough to
develop research systems and skills in poor countries?

Global health research programmes are uniquely placed to become a
catalyst for helping countries develop their health research systems.


December 12, 2007 -- Geneva, Dublin, Kampala.

Global health research programmes working in the world's poorest
countries have the potential to make an important additional
contribution to national development - by supporting the growth of these
countries' health research systems.

This is the conclusion of a report released today by COHRED, the Council
on Health Research for Development. It explores the effect of global
disease-specific health research programmes on health research in low
and middle income countries. The report advises that these 'vertical'
programmes can become catalysts for improving health research capacity
in poor countries over the long term - if they agree to invest in
research system development, as well as achieving their programme's
research objectives.

In the world's wealthier nations, a system for funding and managing
research that responds to the health needs of their population is the
basis of national health policies and services. The picture of health
research in the south is quite different. The report shows that national
health research priorities are largely set, and funding provided, by
development donors and programmes that focus on solving specific
problems - such as TB, Malaria, HIV/AIDS, child health, vaccine
development and reproductive health.

Benefits of vertical health research

Vertical health research programmes bring significant benefits to
countries by reducing health- risks for specific health conditions. But
most do not contribute to building national systems for health research,
and can in fact bypass them.

The question is not that the global programmes - or the multitude of
donor health research projects active in the world's poorest countries -
do not contribute to improved health. But rather: that they can have a
longer-term impact by having strategies to build the health research
systems of their partner countries as a part of their work.

The study indicates that most of the money in health research in the
poorest countries is in vertical (disease-specific) programmes, which
provide funds - and the research agenda for most of a country's work.
"This creates a situation where national research production in many
countries addresses only a few high-profile health conditions - those
for which funding is available - and neglects other major national
priorities that can benefit from research," says Prof.
Carel IJsselmuiden, Director of COHRED.

A respondent in the report, Dr. Pascoal Mocumbi, former Prime Minister
and former Minister of Health of Mozambique, offers a perspective
experienced by senior policy makers in many low income countries: "When
I was appointed a health minister in Mozambique, I thought I would be
minister of health; instead I was minister of health projects - funded
by donor countries," he says.

Benefits of investing in national health research systems

IJsselmuiden explains: "There is an ongoing debate in development and
donor circles on issues such as: how to scale-up health research
interventions at national level?; how to evaluate the impact of  health
research programmes; or how to make health research in countries more
sustainable and less dependent on long-term donor funding. An effective
national system for health research supports these goals. And global
health research programmes - as a part of their research - are an ideal
partner to invest in building national systems. These investments can
help countries and makes the work of the global research even more
effective in the long term."    

The COHRED report cites examples that it sees as indicative of the
situation faced by many countries.

* In Cameroon, 25% of all health research in 1999 was contracted
directly to individual researchers, bypassing government and
institutional systems of governance.
* In Zambia, only 12 health research projects were registered with
the national Council of Science and Technology in 2006, a fraction of
the existing research in the country.
* South Africa does not have a national register of externally
funded research. Where information is available, it often covers
clinical trials only.
* Uganda does not provide national project funding for health
research, while income from externally funded health research projects
totals some $24 million.

This release summarizes findings of the COHRED Statement 2007, available
on www.cohred.org/statement

                   xXx

For more information, please contact: Michael Devlin (media):
[log in to unmask]

Dr. Andrew Kennedy (health research system strengthening):
[log in to unmask]


Notes for editors:

COHRED Statements highlight important issues in health research for
development. They address issues around improving health research as an
instrument to reduce poverty and improve health across the globe. The
way in which research is done and the questions it addresses make the
difference between health research that is a tool to deliver technical
solutions to those who can afford them; or health research as central
element of alleviating human suffering, improving health and health
equity, and making development activities sustainable.

About the Council on Health Research for Development -- COHRED 

COHRED is an international non-governmental organization created in 1993
at the recommendation of the Commission on Health Research for
Development www.cohred.org/Assests/PDF/Papers/ComReports.pdf It is the
only organisation dedicated to supporting low and middle income
countries in building their national health research systems.

COHRED provides advice and services to countries in several areas:
approaches and tools for profiling, assessing and strengthening a
national health research system; processes for priority setting and
communicating research produced by national health research systems; and
capacity building and facilitation of learning between countries. It
also publishes studies and advocates for greater investment in national
health research www.cohred.org/main/publications.php. It provides
information that helps low and middle income countries better
participate in international processes
www.cohred.org/main/healthresearchwatch and helps all those involved in
health research have a clearer picture of the situation
www.cohred.org/HealthResearchWeb/

COHRED is funded by donor development agencies, international
foundations and, for some of its project work, by partner countries.
--------


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