Organised jointly with MSF, WHO and other partners, the seminar “Tools and strategies in health programmes: Operational research in low- and middle-income countries” will be streamed live on 4 March 2014 at 2:30 pm.
Hosted by:
European Parliament, Science and Technology Option Assessment and the European Parliamentary Research Service
Co-organisers: Partners in the Structured Operational Research and Training IniTiative (SORT-IT)
- TDR, Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Disease
- World Health Organization
- Médecins Sans Frontières
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union)
TOOLS AND STRATEGIES IN HEALTH PROGRAMMES:
Operational research in low- and middle-income countries
The seminar will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels and be streamed live on 4 MARCH 2014 from 2.30 p.m onwards.
Please note that event registration is required to enter the European Parliament building. See the programme website for programme details and to register.
Bridging the gap between innovation and public health
The current model for most international research is based on the assumption that research ‘delivers solutions’ and these will be applied to practice in health programmes.
Today, significant investment is made in research to develop and conduct trials of healthcare interventions, such as diagnostics and drugs. However, implementation of these interventions often fails to produce the public health impact expected, because we do not know HOW to implement them in the diverse health systems conditions prevalent in low- and middle-income countries.
Operational research plays a key role in bridging this know–do or implementation gap. Investment in research needs to be accompanied by a structured support to absorb and effectively apply the generated knowledge in practice. All countries need to be producers, as well as consumers, of research, and research capacity needs to be built up in the public sector and NGOs and not just confined to academia.
In their presentation and during the panel discussion, the speakers will address ways in which the European Union and donors can support existing operational research structures that have a proven record, and help optimizing health care.
PROGRAMME
14:30 – 15:00 INTRODUCTION
António Correia de Campos, MEP, STOA Chairman, European Parliament
Amalia Sartori, MEP, ITRE Chair, European Parliament
Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, DG Research and Innovation – European Commission
Roberto Ridolfi, DG Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid – European Commission
Moderator: Ole Olesen, European Developing Countries CTs Partnership (EDCTP), The Hague, The Netherlands
15.00 – 16.30 SPEAKERS
Operational research in low- and middle-income countries: What is it and why is it relevant
Rony Zachariah, Médecins Sans Frontières
Capacity building in operational research through the Structured Operational Research and Training Initiative programme
Anthony Harries, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union)
WHO’s global plans to expand the Structured Operational Research and Training Initiative programme
Andy Ramsay, World Health Organization
Operational research for improving maternal and new-born care at district level
Giovanni Putoto, Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Padova, Italy
Operational research for universal health coverage
Chris Dye, World Health Organization
Last speaker: tbc
16.30-17.00 PANEL DISCUSSANTS
Charles Goerens, MEP, European Parliament
Christine Kirunga Tashobya, Ministry of Health, and Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Maria Eugénia Captivo, University of Lisbon, Portugal
Mohammed Khogali, Structured Operational Research Training IniTiative (SORT IT), Khartoum, Sudan
17.00-17.10 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
17.10-17.15 CONCLUSIONS
António Correia de Campos, MEP, STOA Chairman
Please note that registration is required to enter the European Parliament building.
Register here: http://bit.ly/1kF2D6e