Added value of multiple IMCHA research projects on maternal, newborn and child health policy and practice in Nigeria

The Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Africa (IMCHA) initiative was designed to generate findings that could influence policies and practices at national and subnational levels. This case study documents the added value of IMCHA projects on maternal, newborn and child health policy and practice in Nigeria. Three research teams implemented five research projects representative of different country contexts, allowing analysis of different facets of MNCH problems including barriers to service utilisation and perinatal depression, as well as impacts of the projects. Future research funding could build on the IMCHA model to ensure political involvement and ownership at national level.Global Affairs CanadaCanadian Institutes of Health Researc

Application of equitable impact sensitive tool (EQUIST) in evidence informed policymaking to improve maternal and child health outcomes in Senegal

The policy brief reviews evidence drawn from the application of EQUitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST). In terms of improving maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes, extending services to the most deprived and marginalized communities not only averts more deaths, but also is more cost effective. UNICEF designed the EQUitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST online tool http://equist.info/en/pages/home) to enable the global health community to improve equity in MNCH and reduce health disparities between marginalized and wealthier groups. Among the most critical health systems components that requires strengthening is the concept of health equity

Application of equitable impact sensitive tool (EQUIST) in evidence informed policymaking to improve maternal and child health outcomes in Burkina Faso

French version available in IDRC Digital LibraryThis brief puts forward policy options and strategies towards improved health equity and access to health care services in Benin. The concept of health equity is a critical component that requires strengthening to improve maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes in Burkina Faso. UNICEF has designed the EQUitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST) to enable the global health community to improve equity in MNCH and to reduce health disparities. The brief reviews findings from a study using the EQUIST Situation Analysis of maternal and child health outcomes in Benin by sub-national categorization, wealth, and residence

Assessment of policy makers’ individual and organizational capacity to acquire, assess, adapt and apply research evidence for maternal and child health policy making in Nigeria: a cross-sectional quantitative survey

Background: Throughout the world, there is increasing awareness and acknowledgement of the value of research evidence in the development of effective health policy and in quality health care practice and administration. Among the major challenges associated with the lack of uptake of research evidence into policy and practice in Nigeria is the capacity constraints of policymakers to use research evidence in policy making.Objective: To assess the capacity of maternal and child health policy makers to acquire, access, adapt and apply available research evidence.Methods: This cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted at a national maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) stakeholders’ engagement event. An evidence to policy self-assessment questionnaire was used to assess the capacity of forty MNCH policy makers to acquire, assess, adapt and apply research evidence for policy making.Results: Low mean ratings were observed ranging from 2.68-3.53 on a scale of 5 for knowledge about initiating/conducting research and capacity to assess authenticity, validity, reliability, relevance and applicability of research evidence and for organizational capacity for promoting and using of research for policy making.Conclusion: There is need to institute policy makers’ capacity development programmes to improve evidence-informed policymaking.Keywords: Policy maker; research; evidence; capacity; Nigeri

Promoting knowledge transfer and culture of evidence use for health systems strengthening in West Africa

This one-page poster/policy brief describes preliminary results of promoting the culture of health research evidence in strengthening health systems in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region. This West African Health Organization (WAHO) policy report shows some indicators of the use of health research in policy making.