Engaging the national mandate to promote evidence informed policy: using Cochrane methods and systematic reviews to move from idea to implementation

Article type
Authors
Rana S1, Aryal K1, Mehata S2, Dahal G3, Pottie K3, Lohani GR4
1Nepal Health Research Council, Nepal
2Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal Health Sector Support Programme, Nepal
3Centre for Global Health, Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa, Canada
4Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal
Abstract
Background:
Institutionalizing knowledge translation platforms can strengthen efforts to bring evidence-based Cochrane methods and systematic reviews into health policy development. When the Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) was established in 1991, it was given the central mandate to assess and communicate relevant health research to support national government work. However, two decades later effective mechanisms and partnership platforms for NHRC-Government of Nepal Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) interaction still do not exist.

Objectives:
To share the approach of the NHRC to capitalize on current opportunities and establish its role in strengthening evidence-informed national policy-making.

Methods:
A conceptual framework informed by the Lavis (2003) and Straus (2009) approach and the organizational framework of programme planning will serve to plan, drive, and evaluate the actions of the NHRC to create a national center of excellence in research synthesis and knowledge translation with Cochrane support.

Results:
This poster will depict schematically the approach and actions of the NHRC and the NHRC Evidence Support Group to solidify evidence-informed policy-making partnerships in Nepal. Strategies and activities: enhance links between research producers and users; implement strategies to promote evidence uptake; training on priority setting, policy briefs, systematic reviews and meta-analyses; translate evidence into actionable messages; and identify and communicate health research gaps.

Conclusions:
A clear framework for knowledge translation efforts will support the NHRC and MoHP to bring evidence to decision-making. The results of this work are expected to form the basis for the NHRC to strengthen its institutional capacity in research synthesis and knowledge translation.

Lavis JN, Robertson D, Woodside JM, McLeod CB, Abelson J. How can research organizations more effectively transfer research knowledge to decision makers? Milbank Q 2003; 81:221-2.

Straus SE, Tetroe J, Graham ID. Knowledge translation in health care: moving from evidence to practice. Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.