Factors affecting Health Research in Africa (2)
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I know it's not what Eric Naterop wants, but I want to comment on fac-
tors affected by health research in Africa: not very many.
In the field of HIV prevention and young people, people are given money
for research with no concern as to how that research will feed into
policy and practice. In Zambia there is an excellent bibliography of
AIDS-related research, full of (some) excellent research. But all too
often the research leads to ... nothing.
Research funders should insist that conclusions/findings are linked to
policy and practice, perhaps holding back part of the grant until there
is evidence this has been done.
Another factor is that of researchers publishing their findings in
learned journals never seen by the implementers of African health serv-
ices. Again in my field, in Southern Africa there are at least 2 good
newsletters, SAfAIDS News (Zimbabwe) and AIDS Analysis Southern Africa
(South Africa). Findings published in those would have so much more im-
pact than if published in US or European journals.
All this of course raises the question: who is intended to benefit from
health research in Africa? The researchers or the researched?
By no means am I saying this applies to Mr Naterop or WHO/AFRO!
Andrew Hobbs
mailto:andhobbs@zamnet.zm
mailto:andhobbs@hotmail.com (after 21 July,1998)
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