Informing Policy Through Research: The Ghana ABBA Experience

1. Informing Policy Through Research: The Ghana ABBA Experience Prof John Gyapong & Dr Ato Selby Research & Development Division Ghana Health Service

2. Research & Development Division • One of 5 Technical Divisions of the Ghana Health Service

3. Key Goal of RDD • To generate information through • Relevant research • Strengthen decision making • Fine-tune/Set health priorities • Allocate resources efficiently • Inform health intervention planning & implementation • Deliver better health services • Improve health status

4. Introduction

5. Where are we conducting research? • HQ- R&D Division • Demographic surveillance sites • Dodowa • Kintampo • Navrongo • OCRC-Hohoe • Regions/Districts

6. GHS Health Research Centres Navrongo, Kintampo & Dodowa (DSS sites)

7. Role of field sites • Primarily to generate information for policy consideration • Work closely with programme implementers and policy maker in defining the problem. • Design appropriate research methods for answering the questions • Facilitate the policy dialogue • Monitoring and evaluation of interventions

8. What are they currently doing? • Collect data from whole communities over time • Monitor new health threats • Track population changes • Assess policy interventions • More accurate reflection of health and population challenges

9. The ABBA RPC RPC’s Objective To improve HIV policy making and implementation by generating evidence and advocating evidence based factors that place the livelihoods of vulnerable and neglected groups at increased threat from HIV and AIDS

10. RDD & The ABBA RPC • RDD is part of GHS • RDD’s unique position in influencing health policy in Ghana • RDD’s substantial experience in dealing with policymakers and stakeholders

11. RDD’s Model • Limited direct communication between researchers and policy makers on a continuous basis • findings not in useful formats for policy makers and end users(Adjei and Cofie 2000) • Questions & objectives formulation • Research process • Dissemination of findings & outcomes

12. RDD’s Model • Varied modes of dissemination of information at different levels on on-going activities • Sustaining the sharing of relevant highlights, important findings and outcomes in appropriate formats as it is generated and evolved • Influencing action and change based on emerging and evolving evidence

13. RDD’s Model in Use Methods used in influencing policy • Dialogues with stakeholders - 2 dialogues (national & regional) on the scale-up of HIV/AIDS services in Ghana • Continuous interaction and dissemination - study on AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in C/R of Ghana

17. Advantages of model • Policy makers and end users tend to pay attention and be more involved in the research process • Keeps the end user interested in future outcomes and makes policy and decision making an on-going process • Helps stakeholders to contribute to outcomes and also starts the process of policy and decision making

18. Results • The MOH & GHS - critical discussion and action on the needs in the scale up of HIV/AIDS services • MOWAC and DSW – tackle the lack of knowledge and awareness of policy guidelines for OVCs • Association of NGOs in C/R – the need to intensify drive to identify OVCs in community & consider changes in modes of implementation of interventions • Orphanages, PLHAs & associations - awareness of organizations & services provided for PLHA & OVCs

19. Challenges • Difficulties in effective collaboration between the public and private sector stakeholders • Communication and dissemination of findings is least thought of - inadequate funding for regular and sustained dissemination • Systematic assessments to evaluate the impact of research use in policies and programs.

20. Conclusion • Continuous and sustained dissemination and interaction with stakeholders is essential in fostering the ownership of research and its outcomes by policy makers and stakeholders • Though a departure from the norm, this model of practical communication tends to increase the probability of the use of research findings in informing and making policy and therefore should be encouraged

21. Advocacy

22. Thank you !