GEH Montebello Retreat February 2005

1. Establishing Knowledge Translation Platforms The Zambian Experience by Joseph M. Kasonde, MD, Executive Director of ZAMFOHR Emily Di Sante, MA, Research Associate Zambia Forum for Health Research, Lusaka, Zambia Presented at The AHPSR/IDRC Conference: “From Mexico to Mali: Taking Stock of Achievements in Health Policy and Systems Research” Nyon, Switzerland, 25-27 May 2008 GEH Montebello Retreat February 2005

2. “In order to facilitate the uptake of research findings it is important to bridge the gap between producers and users of research (particularly policy makers).” Report of the Task Force on Health Systems Research, March 2005, pg. 11.

3. Points for Discussion Health Policy Environment Strategic Options for Knowledge Translation Zambia Forum for Health Research Lessons Learned and the Way Forward

4. Health Policy Environment • National Health Research Policy • National Health Research Conference 2007 • Human Resources for Health Research Conference, June 2007 • Human Resources for Health Research Workshop, February 2008

5. Strategic Options for Knowledge Translation Fig. 2 Models for linking research to action Lavis, Lomas, Hamid, et al. “Assessing country-level efforts to link research to action.” Bulletin of the WHO. August 2006. p. 622. Producers or Purveyors of Research Research Users Producers or Purveyors of Research Research Users Model A: Push efforts by producers or purveyors Model B: User pull efforts Producers of Purveyors of Research Research Users Producers or Purveyors of Research Knowledge Translation Platforms One group of research users Model D: Integrated efforts Model C: Exchange efforts

6. The Zambia Forum for Health Research Strengthening the Capacity to Undertake and Utilize Research and Evidence in Health Policy and Practice

8. Vision and Mission Vision: an environment in which health research evidence forms the basis for policy and practice, leading to improved health. Mission: to contribute to the improvement of the health status of the Zambian population through coordinated and responsive health research and evidence.

9. Facilitating the Flow of Knowledge

10. ZAMFOHR Objectives • With a focus on KM and KT, ZAMFOHR will: • Harvest existing research - published and grey • Create a Database of Zambian research/ers • Identify needs, priorities of both researchers and research-users • Communicate results to decision-makers • Link, network, broker • Offer training courses: systematic reviews, policy briefs and other knowledge translation techniques

11. Towards a Knowledge Translation Institute harvest package manage identify link translate broker train

12. Adding Value to Existing Initiatives Researchers Universities MoH FBOs Providers ZAMFOHR CPs Institutes Media Civil Society Private Sector

13. Lessons Learned • KT is the most urgent task for researchers and policymakers • The process of utilizing research evidence in policy formulation is complex and needs further research • ZAMFOHR’s focus on the early stages of KT (database and website) is a key component of the use of research evidence in policy formation

14. The Way Forward • For ZAMFOHR: to further develop the database and to produce policy briefs and systematic reviews on a regular basis and involving/targeting the three key stakeholders (researchers, policymakers, the community)

15. Research is not complete until it has been published and used !