Work

Calling on Europe to support operational research in low-income and middle-income countries

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Calling on Europe to support operational research in low-income and middle-income countriesOperational research in public health is the investigation of strategies, interventions, instruments, or knowledge that can enhance the quality, coverage, eff ectiveness, or performance of health systems, health services, or disease control programmes. 1 By showing what works and what does not in various contexts, operational research can provide evidence to help policy makers to adapt health interventions and services for maximum public health benefi t. 2During a recent workshop organised by the Science and Technology Options Assessment body (STOA) of the European Parliament, experts in the fi eld of operational research concluded that the European Union (EU) should increase its support for this form of research.STOA, which provides independent assessments of scientifi c and technological options in various sectors including the life sciences, organised the workshop in collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, and WHO/TDR.The participants discussed several overarching themes, concluding that research is too often separate from implementation.A crucial gap remains between the development of effi cacious health interventions and their optimum delivery in real-life settings.This gap is particularly true in many low-income and middleincome countries (LMICs).For example, two-thirds of childhood deaths are potentially avoidable with known technologies that are implemented to scale. 3Similarly, results of clinical trials have shown major benefi ts of parenteral artesunate compared with quinine to treat malaria, but quinine remains the standard treatment in most malaria-endemic countries. 4Operational research could show how to introduce and scale up such interventions, which could have a major eff ect on global health. 5any LMICs are rich in data, but have insuffi cient information.Massive amounts of routine data are collected within public health systems such as by ministries of health (MOH) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), but are underused, reducing the potential eff ect of research on policy and practice.Compounding the problem, most data collected at

Source: The Lancet Global Health

DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(14)70218-9