Events

The conduct of health or biomedical research in Malawi dates back to pre-independence era. Since then, the need for health research has been growing in order to inform policy and health care service delivery. Most of the research has been operations research commissioned by national disease control programmes on the one hand. Basic health research on the other hand has been influenced largely by the academic community. Much of the research conducted in the country has been externally driven, thereby raising concern for Malawi to focus on conducting locally relevant priority research that may not attract external interest. Recognising this growing need for health research, Malawi embarked on a process of developing her own National Health Research Agenda that covers a period of five years from 2012 to 2016.

The health sector revolves around the principle that better use of research and evidence in policy and practice can help save lives and improve quality of life. Yet, applying research to guide and inform the sector’s many actors (ranging from donors and researchers to NGOs and policy makers) and shaping the policy agenda is a difficult task.

This science policy café provides a platform for deliberative discussions among key policy, program and research stakeholders on identifying ways in which research evidence can be used to tackle health care and services challenges in the country. Key questions that this café seeks answers to include:

• In practice, academic research typically has little influence on policy. When it does, it is far more complex than the linear model of research-informing-policy-leading-to-change-on-the-ground. Why?
• For who and how should priorities for research be set?
• What do we mean by conducting research to influence policy?
• Why conduct research to influence policy?
• Who should conduct research to influence policy?
• When should research be conducted to influence policy?
• How do we approach conducting research to influence policy?
• What do policy makers require for them to make Evidence-Informed policies?
• From existing research, what are the key messages/recommendations for improving uptake of research in health policy development and implementation?
• What strategies can the government use to improve its budget allocation towards evidence generation for and evidence uptake in decision-making?

Panelists include:

• Dr Ben Chilima, Deputy Director of Community Health Services (MoH);
• Hon Juliana Lunguzi (Member of Parliament);
• Dr Atupele Kapito-Tembo, Reseacher (MAC); and
• Mr Timothy Ntambalika, President of the Diabetes Association of Malawi.

Moderators:

• Dr Collins Mitambo
• Mr John Berman

Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm