Factors affecting Health Research in Africa
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Can you help us? We need information/literature on a study "Factors af-
fecting Health Research in the African Region" which we shall conduct.
There are a number of factors hampering health research in the African
Region.
1. Research environment: There is lack of societal appreciation of re-
search which is a common concept in many societies in the region,
and had led to an absence of a national research policy within the
national health policy. Therefore policymakers are reluctant to sup-
port health research and research managers have problems to mobilise
internal or external resources, hence making it very difficult to
support research.
2. Research funding: In most countries of the region, government grants
for research are either insufficient or lacking. In general, exter-
nal donors provide research funds according to their own research
priorities.
3. Human resources: The inadequacy of skilled research personnel is ag-
gravated by the inability to manage research resources and to retain
manpower (brain drain).
4. Infrastructures/facilities: As a consequence of the above mentioned
problems research infrastructures (i.e. laboratory space, equipment,
workshops, transport, library etc.) are inadequate for conducting
outstanding research.
While many studies have been conducted into this topic, still very lim-
ited information is available on the socio-cultural and socio-political
factors hampering health research in the region (research environment:
see point 1).
If anyone has some information/literature or any ideas or suggestions,
we are happy to know.
Thanks.
Eric Naterop
Contact address:
WHO/AFRO
P.O. Box CY 348
Harare, Zimbabwe
mailto:enaterop@harare.iafrica.com or
mailto:enaterop@healthnet.zw
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