Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research
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Join the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research!
A collaborative effort between the Global Forum for Health Research
and the World Health Organization
Reply to this e-mail to become a partner (see request form below).
If your institution supports or undertakes health policy and systems
research in developing countries, the Alliance calls for your part-
nership to work together towards better health. Look further down for
details about the interesting programmes planned! We invite you to
share this information and to request your institution join the Alli-
ance. Please complete the information below and reply to this E-mail.
The programmes are starting and we want to have your institution on
board!
REQUEST FOR PARTNERSHIP
Yes, my institution would like to be a partner of the Alliance for
Health Policy and Systems Research.
The health policy and systems research topics being pursued or sup-
ported by my institution are:
1.
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3.
4.
My institution would benefit from the Alliance because:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Name of my institution:
Officer in charge: Ms./Mr.:
Street and number:
City:
Post code:
Country:
Telephone:
Fax:
E-mail:
Web site:
Send your request by replying to this E-mail, or contact:
Miguel A. Gonzalez Block
Programme Manager
Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research Secretariat
World Health Organization
CH-1211 Geneve 27, Switzerland
Tel: +41-22-791-2840
Fax: +41-22-791-4328
mailto:alliance_hpsr@who.int
Visit our web site at: http://www.who.int
Link: Information sources
Link: Evidence for health policy
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Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research
DRIVE FOR INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
A collaboration between the World Health Organization Global Pro-
gramme on Evidence and the Global Forum for Health Research
The Need for Health Policy and Systems Research
Health care systems vary greatly in their performance - in how effi-
ciently they improve health conditions, extend access and contain ex-
penditure growth; yet there remains a surprising lack of information
on the performance of systems and on how policies have affected per-
formance.
Ad Hoc Committee on Health Research Relating to Future Intervention
Options, 'Investing in Health Research and Development', WHO, 1996
There is an urgent need to improve understanding on how and for what
purposes societies organise themselves to achieve health goals, in-
cluding how they plan, manage and finance activities to improve
health, as well as the roles played by different actors in these ef-
forts, their perspectives and interests. There is also a need to pro-
vide scientifically sound, socially relevant and ethically acceptable
guidance for more equitable, effective, efficient and sustainable
health systems. Research is required both on the process of health
policy making and on the desirable content of health policies.
Aim and Objectives of the Alliance
The aim of the Alliance is to contribute to health development and
the efficiency and equity of health systems through research on and
for policy, with the objectives to:
* promote capacity for health policy and systems research (HPSR) on
national and international issues
* help develop the information for policy decisions in the health
sector and other sectors influencing health
* stimulate the generation of knowledge which facilitates policy
analysis and improves understanding of health systems and policy
process
* strengthen international research collaboration, information ex-
change and learning across countries
* identify global level influences on health systems and promote ap-
propriate research.
ALLIANCE TASKS
Mapping and monitoring HPSR at country and regional levels
Gaps and imbalances will be identified and collaboration between ac-
tors will be supported to develop funding priorities and to plan Al-
liance activities. Close liaison with the Council for Health Research
for Development (COHRED) will be ensured.
Advocating and collaborating to build sustainable country-level ca-
pacity for HPSR
A capacity building programme will be planned based on a review of
current HPSR capacity and capacity development experience. Partner
institutions, country authorities, COHRED and other relevant agencies
and regional networks will be consulted.
Supporting the development of HPSR
In order to address gaps and emerging issues, and translate HPSR re-
sults for policy and decision makers, the Alliance will establish a
competitive small grants programme, will help mobilise funds for re-
search on neglected areas and will identify research areas of future
importance.
Developing methodologies and tools for comparative analysis of coun-
try experiences
Where research is required and tools and methodologies are unavail-
able or not standardised, the Alliance will help in their development
and dissemination.
Facilitating systematisation, analysis and sharing of information
The Alliance will publish a newsletter and a Web site, will collabo-
rate with clearinghouses and will encourage networking and liaison
with existing networks. These tasks will build on the work undertaken
in the past five years by the International Clearinghouse of Health
System Reform Initiatives.
PRIORITIES FOR HPSR
The Alliance Board proposes the following general priorities, identi-
fied through consultations in 1998-99:
* Health system functions of regulation, organisation, financing and
delivery of services.
* Social and economic policies with consequences for health care system
development and reform.
* Policy implementation in the context of global trends influencing
policies, yet differing country health systems and needs.
* Health system equity in financing, coverage, access, use and quality
of care, conceived as risk factors for health.
These priorities are consonant with the work of WHO's cluster on Evi-
dence and Information for Policy, particularly with the following
tasks of the Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy:
* measuring health system performance, especially responsiveness,
fair financing and equity;
* improving health system descriptions;
* analysing heath financing and organisational methods, and
* developing evidence to support public policy towards the private
sector.
THE BOARD
Anne Mills, Chair
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Sanguan Nitayarumphong Vice-Chair
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand
Isabel Aleta
Eastern & Southern Africa Health Systems Research Network
Celia Almeida
Fundacion Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil
Enis Baris
Formerly of IDRC
Lennart Freij
SIDA/SAREC
Julio Frenk
WHO
Kassem M. Kassak
American University of Beirut
Liu Zingzhu
Shandong Medical University, China
Mary Ann Lansang
University of the Philippines
Maureen Law
World Bank
Malaqu�as Lopez
National Institute of Public Health, Mexico
Lindiwe Makubalo
Department of Health, South Africa
Gaspar Munishi
University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
Thomas Nchinda
Global Forum for Health Research
Yvo Nuyens
COHRED
Mamadou Traore
National Public Health Research Institute, Mali
Karl Olav Wathne
Ullevol University Hospital, Oslo
PARTICIPATION IN THE ALLIANCE
The Alliance promotes the widest possible participation of institu-
tions using and producing health policy and systems research to en-
sure a bottom-up source of direction and advice for its activities.
The Alliance benefits from the support of a Board under the auspices
of the Global Forum for Health Research.
WHO is a key partner of the Alliance and provides technical and ad-
ministrative functions through the Global Programme for Evidence.
This role ensures the Alliance close collaboration and co-ordination
with WHO activities for HPSR, and links WHO directly to a widespread
collaborative network of institutions for the ground-up expression of
demands and views related to HPSR.
The Alliance seeks the partnership of institutions in any country in-
volved in the production or use of HPSR in the developing world. In-
terested institutions can apply for partnership either by mailing the
attached form, by mailing a separate letter of intent or by complet-
ing the Website notice.
A contribution will be requested from partners, with an exemption for
institutions in low-income countries. The contribution will be re-
quested from institutions from the second year after joining the Al-
liance and its amount will be consulted on the first year of the pro-
gramme.
Funding for the Alliance is gratefully acknowledged from the Interna-
tional Development and Research Council of Canada, (IDRC), the gov-
ernments of Norway and Sweden, and the World Bank.
BENEFITS TO PARTNERS
Partners will have ready access to information on grants, opportuni-
ties and expert analysis on HPSR and health system issues. Partners
will also be invited to the Biennial Meeting of the Alliance, where
they will have a unique opportunity to network and to learn of the
most recent experiences of HPSR.
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