AFR/RC65/R2 25 November 2015
REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR AFRICA Sixty-fifth session N’Djamena, Republic of Chad, 23–27 November 2015
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
RESOLUTION
RESEARCH FOR HEALTH: A STRATEGY FOR THE AFRICAN REGION, 2016-2025 (Document AFR/RC65/6)
The Sixty-fifth session of the Regional Committee for Africa, Having considered Document AFR/RC65/6 on “Research for health: a strategy for the African Region 2016-2025”; Recalling Resolution AFR/RC48/R4 on Strategic Health Research Plan (1999-2003) that emphasizes the need to build national research capacities and create enabling environment for researchers to function effectively; Recalling further Document AFR/RC59/5 on Algiers Declaration that called for the strengthening of national health research systems; Recalling Resolution WHA62.16 which adopted the Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property, urging Member States to implement the specific actions recommended, including prioritization of research and development needs; promotion of research and development; development and improvement of innovative capacity; transfer of technology; application and management of intellectual property to contribute to innovation with a view to promoting public health; improving delivery and access; promoting sustainable financing mechanisms; and establishing monitoring and reporting systems; Recalling Resolution WHA63.28 on the Establishment of a consultative expert working group on research and development: financing and coordination, which examined current financing and coordination of research and development, made recommendations for new and innovative sources of financing to stimulate research and development related to Type II and Type III diseases and the specific research and development needs of developing countries in relation to Type I diseases; Reaffirming resolution WHA63.21 that commits Member States to adapt The WHO strategy on research for health, which emphasizes that policies and practices in support of health should be grounded in the best scientific knowledge; Noting with concern that Africa’s contribution to global health research published in international journals is currently only 1.3%; Acknowledging the weaknesses of national health research systems in the Region, and hence, the low capacity to produce, disseminate and utilize research results;
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Concerned that many countries in the Region are facing significant challenges in training and retaining health researchers; Recognizing the need to strategically position research in the African Region to inform strategies for strengthening national health systems to scale up coverage of high-impact cost-effective public health interventions aimed at achieving national and internationally agreed health development goals such as the Millennium Development Goals and post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals: 1. ENDORSES Document AFR/RC65/6 entitled Research for health: a strategy for the African Region 2016-2025. URGES Member States: (a) (b) (c) (d) to strengthen health research leadership and governance including reinforcing ethics capacities to create an enabling environment for health research; to create and strengthen the national health research system infrastructure; to put in place measures to build and sustain human resource capacity for health research; to establish/strengthen knowledge translation platforms, such as Evidence Informed Policy Networks (EVIPNET), in order to optimize research production and utilization of results for evidence-based decisions to improve the health of the population; to build strong, domestic, south-south and south-north collaboration to facilitate sharing of best practices, technology transfer and implementation of the national health research agenda; to ensure adequate funding of health research through implementation of agreed innovative mechanisms; to develop a mechanism for collaboration and coordination between ministries of health and other relevant ministries, universities and other research institutions; and to monitor all health research activities including investing in research.
2.
(e)
(f) (g) (h) 3.
REQUESTS the Regional Director: (a) to continue advocating for the national authorities and health development partners to give priority to health research as a key component of strategies for protecting and promoting the health of the population; to support building of human and institutional capacities for health research; to create/strengthen regional and subregional coordination and collaboration mechanisms to improve research and development; to advocate for additional innovative funding for research; to develop tools for use by countries in conducting research and tracking research investments in public and private sectors for effective coordination and prioritization; to support South-South and South-North collaboration with public health associations and health research centres of excellence in order to facilitate technology transfer; to conduct, every two years, a mapping of the status of national health research systems in the African Region;
(b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)
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(h) (i)
to support the establishment of a health research platform for sharing research findings and innovation; to develop monitoring, evaluation and accountability mechanisms for the implementation of the Research for health: a strategy for the African Region 20162025; to report to the Regional Committee, beginning in 2018 and thereafter every two years, on the progress made, outstanding challenges and updated actions towards the achievement of set objectives and targets.
(j)