Developing national institutional capacity for evidence-informed policy-making for health

1. Tehran,
Islamic Republic of Iran
14 –17 October 2019
Agenda item 3(d)
Dr Arash Rashidian, Director,
Science, Information and
Dissemination
Developing national institutional
capacity for evidence-informed policy-
making for health

2. Capacity for health
systems research
Policy-
maker/researcher
collaboration
Policy-maker
awareness and
engagement
In-country research
networks and
research utilization
Requesting further
work by WHO and
Member States
2 0 1 9
Framework
for national
institutional
capacity for
use of
evidence in
health
policy-
making in
Region
Increase
funding for
priority
research
WHA
2005
RC
2001
EVIPNet
RC
2008
RC
2011
RC
2017
2 0 2 0  2 0 2 4Ministry of health
research units
Calls for action on institutional capacity
2
Ministries of health decision timeline in
support of evidence-informed policy-making

3. Evidence-informed policy-making
Using best-available evidence to answer policy questions
Policy-maker
questions
What are the main
priority
issues/problems
for decision-
making?
What are the
potential
effective and
safe policy
options?
Are the policy
options cost-
effective and
affordable?
Are the policy
options feasible to
implement and
sustainable?
Usual sources
of evidence
Household, facility and user surveys
Routine information and surveillance
Interventional and cost-effectiveness studies
Qualitative studies Qualitative studies
Knowledge
products and
processes
Policy briefs
Data fact sheets
and observatories
Guidelines and health technology assessments
Important challenges in:
availability, validity, relevance and timeliness
of research and national data
Important challenges in availability of products and processes
Policy-makers are keen in using evidence in their decisions
3

4. Health
technology
assessment
programmes
are limited
Few health
policies
supported by
policy briefs
Few national
programmes
for guidelines
Few national
health
observatory or
survey plans
Opportuniti
es &
Challenges
4

5. Evidence
-
informed
policy-
making
Knowledge
translation
Health
technology
assessment
Guideline
development
and
adaptation
Routine
data, health
information
systems
National
surveys
Ad hoc
studies,
monitoring
& evaluation
Options for enhancing institutional capacity in
evidence-informed policy-making
Guideline
team
Scattered
HIS & HMIS
R&D units
Planning
team
Scattered
Integrated
5

6. Building institutional capacity
Dimensions affecting institutional capacity
for translating evidence to policy
1. Integrated approach
2. Adaptation: Building the wheel or using the
wheel?
3. Academic institutions: Partner or collaborator?
4. Other stakeholders’ involvement: Whom, when,
how?
5. Standardized processes: To what extent?
6

7. Framework for improving national institutional
capacity for use of evidence in health policy-making
in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (20202024)
WHO support and required actions for each category of countries
Countries with
limited
academic
resources
Countries
in
emergencie
s
Minimum institutional capacity requirements
for all countries
1
Country-specific requirements and options
2
3
Smaller
countries with
strong
academic
capacity
Larger countries
with strong
academic
capacity
Capacity to locate
and assess sources
of evidence, use
national data, and
enforce policy
processes
Varying levels of
capacity needed to
generate or adapt
evidence products
7

8. Framework for improving national institutional
capacity for use of evidence in health policy-making in the
Eastern Mediterranean Region (2020-2024)
8
All
countrie
s of
Region
 Build institutional capacity for evidence-informed policy-making
 Develop policy briefs on topics of regional importance
 Adapt WHO guidelines for areas of high priority
 Develop multi-country or regional guidelines for high priority topic
 Establish a regional network of support institutions
Countries
with
limited
academic
resource
s
 Support development of policy briefs/adapt WHO
guidelines for the national context
Countries
affected
by
emergenc
ies
 Support rapid processes for policy synthesis
products
WHO
support
for
Member
States

9. 9
Thank you
Now let’s watch a short (2 min) video
of key policy-makers’ and academics’ views
and their call for action on the issue