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Abstract
The challenges facing all countries are significant; however the challenges facing LMICs in terms of the economic, social and political contexts, funding drivers for evidence production and decision making, access to less than optimal evidence information systems, and the chasm between available evidence and context for its application, are particularly daunting. However, by comparison to 1993, the Cochrane Collaboration has made significant advances: relationship with WHO and PAHO, innovative active Centres, pan-country satellites and regional capacity development, methodological developments, equity oriented advocacy, reviews focused on needs of LMIC through stakeholder advisory groups, and partnerships with funders session.
Session Objectives: Participants will: a) understandsome of the opportunities, barriers and diversity of contexts that exist across the continents, cultures, populations and environments where LMICs are located. b) hear speakers’ experiences with opportunities to catalyse activities that both advocate for the use of transparent approaches of including research findings in decision making, and commit to contemporary evidence generation opportunities. c) discuss new directions that could be forged together over the following 10–20 years, and in particular, strategies that need to become embedded in available systems, and areas in which new strategies and ideas are called for. This session will be a panel-format; participants will anchor their contributions and experience with a future orientation i.e. where will we be in 2018, 2023 and 2028. We will discuss:influences on evidence informed decision making, barriers and facilitators; examples of contemporary projects and reviews, and critical success factors; perspective from the South African Cochrane Centre—why reviews are stalled and how we can support authors in our reference countries; examples of collaborative projects to inform policies with current evidence;changes in the big picture in evidence in LMIC contexts; and, how new tools and policies can be used to frame Cochrane work in a way that presents it as a contribution to what society is demanding. This will include examples of how knowledge translation leading to new policies improved health and policy making processes, and many inputs came from Cochrane work (beyond just reviews).
Target audience and level of expertise: Participants with interest in LMICs at any level of experience and expertise
Session Objectives: Participants will: a) understandsome of the opportunities, barriers and diversity of contexts that exist across the continents, cultures, populations and environments where LMICs are located. b) hear speakers’ experiences with opportunities to catalyse activities that both advocate for the use of transparent approaches of including research findings in decision making, and commit to contemporary evidence generation opportunities. c) discuss new directions that could be forged together over the following 10–20 years, and in particular, strategies that need to become embedded in available systems, and areas in which new strategies and ideas are called for. This session will be a panel-format; participants will anchor their contributions and experience with a future orientation i.e. where will we be in 2018, 2023 and 2028. We will discuss:influences on evidence informed decision making, barriers and facilitators; examples of contemporary projects and reviews, and critical success factors; perspective from the South African Cochrane Centre—why reviews are stalled and how we can support authors in our reference countries; examples of collaborative projects to inform policies with current evidence;changes in the big picture in evidence in LMIC contexts; and, how new tools and policies can be used to frame Cochrane work in a way that presents it as a contribution to what society is demanding. This will include examples of how knowledge translation leading to new policies improved health and policy making processes, and many inputs came from Cochrane work (beyond just reviews).
Target audience and level of expertise: Participants with interest in LMICs at any level of experience and expertise