Using and generating relevant evidence in LMICs by actively engaging stakeholders

Article type
Authors
Cherian A1, Kirubakaran R2, Joseph A2, Tharyan P3, Mathew ME2
1South Asian Cochrane Network and Center, India; Aneesh George, Research Scientist, India
2South Asian Cochrane Network and Centre, India
3South Asian Cochrane Network & Centre, Prof. BV Moses & ICMR Advanced Centre for Research & Training in Evidence Informed Health Care Christian Medical College, India
Abstract
Objectives:

Evidence-informed health care is still an emerging concept in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To respond to the challenge of generating and disseminating evidence relevant to LMICs, we need to evolve and grow constantly.

Description:

At the South Asian Cochrane Centre, we serve as knowledge brokers to a varied group of stakeholders, devising solutions to sensitise them to evidence-based practices, while keeping their specific contexts in mind. We engage with policy makers, professional bodies, journals, media, consumers and students, to win them over and provide evidence in a format they can understand and apply. The results have included: • steady increase in the numbers accessing The Cochrane Library, free in India largely due to our efforts; • commissioning of systematic reviews by the ICMR (apex research organisation in India); • training workshops that routinely run at full capacity, with increasing participation from the public health department; • the popular Cochrane Students Journal Club, which has successfully piloted its mode of disseminating evidence and is currently building a new website; and • compiling evidence for a landmark workshop for a toxicology group. Through this workshop we wish to discuss the merits, demerits, limitations, and improvements of our strategies.