Building knowledge broker capacities during the regional research project: lessons learnt from the West African Health Organisation
Main Article Content
Abstract
The aim of the article was to understand how its project entitled "moving maternal, newborn and child evidence into policy in West Africa" funded under the Canadian initiative has helped the West African Health Organisation to better build its role as a knowledge broker in West Africa.
A case study approach was adopted to allow for the validation or otherwise of stated hypotheses using context, actor, process, and outcome data.
WAHO as a HPRO has been able through the Moving Maternal Newborn and Child Health Evidence into policy in West Africa project to play the role of KB through strengthening collaboration between policy makers and researchers, generating knowledge for a better understanding of the evidence use environment in the field of maternal and child health, and finally through the implementation of actions to create an enabling environment for the use of evidence to influence health policy and practice. Weaknesses were noted and mostly corrected in the implementation process. The commitment of senior management and other stakeholders, the implementation of the project using the strengths of the institution, the collaboration with regional experts, the provision of additional human resources and the use of evidence in planning project activities facilitate this capacity building.
The experience gained enabled the organisation during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to facilitate the use of evidence for decision making by policy makers in West Africa.
Keywords:
capacity building, knowledge broker, evidence use, West Africa
Article Details
How to Cite
SOMBIE, Issiaka et al.
Building knowledge broker capacities during the regional research project: lessons learnt from the West African Health Organisation.
Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 11, n. 5, may 2023.
ISSN 2375-1924.
Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/3817>. Date accessed: 23 apr. 2024.
doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v11i5.3817.
Section
Research Articles
The Medical Research Archives grants authors the right to publish and reproduce the unrevised contribution in whole or in part at any time and in any form for any scholarly non-commercial purpose with the condition that all publications of the contribution include a full citation to the journal as published by the Medical Research Archives.
References
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20. Uneke JC, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Ongolo-Zogo P. An assessment of policymaker's engagement initiatives to promote evidence informed health policy making in Nigeria. The Pan African Medical Journal. 2017; 27:57. doi:10.11604/pamj.2017.27.57.9844
21. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Ongolo-Zogo P. An assessment of national maternal and child health policymakers' knowledge and capacity for evidence-informed policy-making in Nigeria. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2017; 6(6):309-316. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2016.132
22. Gordon AN, Sombié I, Lokossou V, Johnson E. A Review of the Process of Knowledge Transfer and use of Evidence in Reproductive and Child Health in Ghana. Health Research Policy and Systems 2018, 16:75. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-018-0350-9.
23. Johnson EAK, Lokossou V, Amadou M, Bado AR, Tougri G, Uneke JC, Sombié I. Stakeholders' individual and organizational capacity to acquire, assess, adapt and apply evidence for maternal, neonatal and child health in policymaking in Burkina Faso. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 10(01), 191-202. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2021.10.1.0152
24. Sombié I. Knowledge transfer and use of evidence in the development and implementation of maternal health policies and programmes in West Africa. VIIth International Congress of Epidemiology "Epidemiology and Public Health", Rennes, France, 7-9 September 2016. Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health 2016 64; S4:S260
25. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Johnson E, Uneke BI, Okolo S. Promoting the use of evidence in health policymaking in the ECOWAS region: the development and contextualization of an evidence-based policymaking guidance. Global Health. 2020 Aug 6; 16(1):73. doi: 10.1186/s12992-020-00605-z
26. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Johnson E, Uneke BI. Lessons Learned from Strategies for Promotion of Evidence-to-Policy Process in Health Interventions in the ECOWAS Region: A Rapid Review. Niger Med J. 2020 Sep-Oct;61(5):227-236. doi: 10.4103/nmj.NMJ_188_20. Epub 2020 Oct 13. PMID: 33487844 Free PMC article. Review.
27. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Johnson E, Uneke BI. Promoting the use of evidence in health policymaking in the ECOWAS region: exploring the perception of policymakers on the necessity of an evidence-based policy-making guidance. Annals of African Medicine 2021, In Press
28. Uneke C, Sombie I, Uro-Chukwu HC, Johnson E, Okonufua F. Using Equitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST) and Knowledge Translation to promote evidence to policy link in maternal and child health: Report of first EQUIST training workshop in Nigeria. Pan African Medical Journal. 2017; 28:37. doi:10.11604/pamj.2017.28.37.13269
29. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Uro-Chukwu HC, Mohammed YG, Johnson E. Promoting evidence informed policymaking for maternal and child health in Nigeria: lessons from a knowledge translation workshop. Health Promotion Perspectives, 2018, 8(1), 63-70. doi: 10.15171/hpp.2018.08
30. Amadou M, Johnson E, Tougri G, Berthe A, Sombie I. Qualitative evaluation of a knowledge transfer training programme in maternal and child health in Burkina Faso, West Africa. African Journal of Reproductive Health 2020, 24 (4)
31. Abekah-Nkrumah G, Ottie-Boakye D, Ermel J, Issiaka S. Determinants of evidence use by frontline maternal, newborn and child health staff in selected health facilities in Ghana. Health Res Policy Syst. 2022 Jun 28; 20(1):77. doi: 10.1186/s12961-022-00881-8.
32. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Uro-Chukwu HC, Johnson E. Using equitable impact sensitive tool (EQUIST) to promote evidence informed policymaking to improve Maternal and Child health outcomes: A focus on six West African Countries. Globalization and Health, 2018 14:104. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-018-0422-1
33. Johnson EAK, Sombié I, Uzochukwu BSC, Uneke JC, Amadou M, Abosede A, Adebimpi A, Okolo S. Policy dialogue to support maternal newborn child health evidence use in policymaking: The lessons learnt from the Nigeria research days first edition. African Journal of Reproductive Health 2020, 24 (4)
34. Jones J and Barry MM. Exploring the relationship between synergy and ten partnership functioning factors in health promotion partnerships. Health Promotion International 2011, 26; 4:408-420. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/dar002
35. Nielsen BB. The role of trust in collaborative relationships: a multidimensional approach. Management 2004, 7; 3: 239-256
36. Sombié I, Johnson E, Lokossou V, Amouh T, Sow A, Ogbureke N, Okolo S. How does the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) contribute to the evidence-based decision-making and practice during COVID-19 pandemic in ECOWAS region? PAMJ 2020 Volume 37 (1): 20. 02 Oct 2020. DOI: 10.11604/pamj.supp.2020.37.1.25625
2. Bornbaum CC, Kornas K, Peirson L, Rosella LC. Exploring the function and effectiveness of knowledge brokers as facilitators of knowledge translation in health-related settings: a systematic review and thematic analysis. Implementation Science (2015) 10:162 DOI 10.1186/s13012-015-0351
3. Conklin J, Lusk E, Harris M, Stolee P. Knowledge brokers in a knowledge network: the case of Seniors Health Research Transfer Network knowledge brokers. Implement Sci 2013;8:7. DOI PubMed
4. Brown J, Cartridge R, Davies S, Ul Hassan E, Hsia C, Lal T, Mackison D, Menon R, Moratti M, Murunga V, Le Nestour A, Whitehead L, White H, 2018 Research Uptake in Policymaking: From Papers to Policy CEDIL Inception Paper 14: London
5. Cvitanovic, C. (2017) Three ways that knowledge brokers can strengthen the impact of scientific research, Research to Action: The Global Guide to Research Impact. Available at: http://www.researchtoaction.org/2017/04/three-ways-knowledge-brokers-can-strengthen-impact-scientific-research/ (Accessed: 22 August 2021)
6. Innovation for maternal and child health in Africa. https://www.idrc.ca/fr/initiative/innovation-pour-la-sante-des-meres-et-des-enfants-dafrique (visited 26/08/2021)
7. Sombie I, Aidam J, Konaté B, Somé TD and Kambou SS. The State of the Research for Health Environment in the Ministries of Health of the Economic Community of the West African States (ECOWAS). Health Research Policy and Systems 2013, 11:35. DOI: 10.1186/1478-4505-11-35
8. Aidam J, Sombié I. The West African Health Organization's experience in improving the health research environment in the ECOWAS region. Health Res Policy Syst. 2016 Apr 20; 14:30. doi: 10.1186/s12961-016-0102-7.
9. Sombié I, Johnson E, Aidam J. The funding of national health research ethics committees in member states of the Economic Community of West African States. Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health 2019, 67(1):7-11.
10. Sombie I, Bouwaye A, Mongbo Y, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Assogba L, Crespin X. Promoting research to improve maternal, newborn, infant and adolescent health in West Africa: the role of West African Health Organisation. Health Research Policy and Systems 2017 15(Suppl 1):53 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-017-0209-5.
11. Sombié I, Aidam J, Montorzi G. Evaluation of regional project to strengthen National Health Research System in four Post conflict countries in West Africa: lessons learnt. Health Research Policy and Systems 2017 15(Suppl 1):46 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-017-0214-8.
12. Sombié I, Bamouni SF, Somé DT, Johnson EAK, Aidam J. From Training to Practice: A report of Professional Capacity Development in Health Research in West Africa. BMC Medical Education 2021 21:259 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02696-7
13. Keita N, Lokossou V, Berthe A, Sombie I, Johnson E, Busia K. The West African experience in establishing steering committees for better collaboration between researchers and decision-makers to increase the use of health research findings. Health Research Policy and Systems 2017 15 (Suppl 1):50: DOI: 10.1186/s12961-017-0216-6.
14. Moving Maternal Newborn and Child Evidence into Policy in West Africa" (https://www.idrc.ca/en/project/moving-maternal-newborn-and-child-health-evidence-policy-west-africa (Accessed August 29 2021)
15. Tellis, W. M. (1997). Application of a Case Study Methodology. The Qualitative Report, 3(3), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/1997.2015
16. Teoli D, Sanvictores T, An J. SWOT Analysis. 2020 Sep 7. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan
17. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Ongolo-Zogo P, Uro-Chukwu HC. Promoting evidence informed policy making in Nigeria: a review of the maternal, newborn and child health policy development process. Health Promotion Perspectives. 2017 Sep 26; 7(4):181-189. doi: 10.15171/hpp.2017.33. eCollection 2017. Review
18. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Ongolo-Zogo P, Uro-Chukwu HC. Assessment of policy makers' individual and organizational capacity to acquire, assess, adapt and apply research evidence for maternal and child health policy making in Nigeria: a cross-sectional quantitative survey. Afri Health Sci. 2017; 17(3): 700-711. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v17i3.12
19. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Ongolo-Zogo P. Improving maternal and child health policymaking process in Nigeria: an assessment of policymakers' needs, barriers and facilitators of evidence-informed policymaking. Health Research Policy and Systems 2017 15(Suppl 1):48. DOI: 10.1186/s12961-017-0217-5
20. Uneke JC, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Ongolo-Zogo P. An assessment of policymaker's engagement initiatives to promote evidence informed health policy making in Nigeria. The Pan African Medical Journal. 2017; 27:57. doi:10.11604/pamj.2017.27.57.9844
21. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Ongolo-Zogo P. An assessment of national maternal and child health policymakers' knowledge and capacity for evidence-informed policy-making in Nigeria. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2017; 6(6):309-316. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2016.132
22. Gordon AN, Sombié I, Lokossou V, Johnson E. A Review of the Process of Knowledge Transfer and use of Evidence in Reproductive and Child Health in Ghana. Health Research Policy and Systems 2018, 16:75. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-018-0350-9.
23. Johnson EAK, Lokossou V, Amadou M, Bado AR, Tougri G, Uneke JC, Sombié I. Stakeholders' individual and organizational capacity to acquire, assess, adapt and apply evidence for maternal, neonatal and child health in policymaking in Burkina Faso. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 10(01), 191-202. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2021.10.1.0152
24. Sombié I. Knowledge transfer and use of evidence in the development and implementation of maternal health policies and programmes in West Africa. VIIth International Congress of Epidemiology "Epidemiology and Public Health", Rennes, France, 7-9 September 2016. Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health 2016 64; S4:S260
25. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Johnson E, Uneke BI, Okolo S. Promoting the use of evidence in health policymaking in the ECOWAS region: the development and contextualization of an evidence-based policymaking guidance. Global Health. 2020 Aug 6; 16(1):73. doi: 10.1186/s12992-020-00605-z
26. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Johnson E, Uneke BI. Lessons Learned from Strategies for Promotion of Evidence-to-Policy Process in Health Interventions in the ECOWAS Region: A Rapid Review. Niger Med J. 2020 Sep-Oct;61(5):227-236. doi: 10.4103/nmj.NMJ_188_20. Epub 2020 Oct 13. PMID: 33487844 Free PMC article. Review.
27. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Johnson E, Uneke BI. Promoting the use of evidence in health policymaking in the ECOWAS region: exploring the perception of policymakers on the necessity of an evidence-based policy-making guidance. Annals of African Medicine 2021, In Press
28. Uneke C, Sombie I, Uro-Chukwu HC, Johnson E, Okonufua F. Using Equitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST) and Knowledge Translation to promote evidence to policy link in maternal and child health: Report of first EQUIST training workshop in Nigeria. Pan African Medical Journal. 2017; 28:37. doi:10.11604/pamj.2017.28.37.13269
29. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Uro-Chukwu HC, Mohammed YG, Johnson E. Promoting evidence informed policymaking for maternal and child health in Nigeria: lessons from a knowledge translation workshop. Health Promotion Perspectives, 2018, 8(1), 63-70. doi: 10.15171/hpp.2018.08
30. Amadou M, Johnson E, Tougri G, Berthe A, Sombie I. Qualitative evaluation of a knowledge transfer training programme in maternal and child health in Burkina Faso, West Africa. African Journal of Reproductive Health 2020, 24 (4)
31. Abekah-Nkrumah G, Ottie-Boakye D, Ermel J, Issiaka S. Determinants of evidence use by frontline maternal, newborn and child health staff in selected health facilities in Ghana. Health Res Policy Syst. 2022 Jun 28; 20(1):77. doi: 10.1186/s12961-022-00881-8.
32. Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Uro-Chukwu HC, Johnson E. Using equitable impact sensitive tool (EQUIST) to promote evidence informed policymaking to improve Maternal and Child health outcomes: A focus on six West African Countries. Globalization and Health, 2018 14:104. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-018-0422-1
33. Johnson EAK, Sombié I, Uzochukwu BSC, Uneke JC, Amadou M, Abosede A, Adebimpi A, Okolo S. Policy dialogue to support maternal newborn child health evidence use in policymaking: The lessons learnt from the Nigeria research days first edition. African Journal of Reproductive Health 2020, 24 (4)
34. Jones J and Barry MM. Exploring the relationship between synergy and ten partnership functioning factors in health promotion partnerships. Health Promotion International 2011, 26; 4:408-420. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/dar002
35. Nielsen BB. The role of trust in collaborative relationships: a multidimensional approach. Management 2004, 7; 3: 239-256
36. Sombié I, Johnson E, Lokossou V, Amouh T, Sow A, Ogbureke N, Okolo S. How does the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) contribute to the evidence-based decision-making and practice during COVID-19 pandemic in ECOWAS region? PAMJ 2020 Volume 37 (1): 20. 02 Oct 2020. DOI: 10.11604/pamj.supp.2020.37.1.25625