Policy dialogue to support maternal newborn child health evidence use in policymaking: The lessons learnt from the Nigeria research days first edition

Ermel A. K. Johnson, Issiaka Sombié, Benjamin S. C. Uzochukwu, Jesse C. Uneke, Moukaïla Amadou, Adeniran Abosede, Adebiyi Adebimpi, Stanley Okolo

Abstract

The use of evidence in decision-making and practice can be improved through diverse interventions, including policy dialogue. The Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria initiated and organized the Nigeria Research Days (NRD), to serve as a platform for exchange between researchers and policymakers for improving maternal, new-born and child health. The study reports on the conceptualization, organization and lessons learned from the first edition. A cross-sectional study was designed to assess the effectiveness of a policy dialogue during the NRDs. Data were collected from the feasibility and workshop evaluation surveys. A descriptive analysis of data was performed. As a result, the Nigeria Research Days meets all the criteria for a successful policy dialogue. The participants positively rated the content and format of the meeting and made suggestions for improvement. They were willing to implement the recommendations of the final communiqué. The lessons learned from this first edition will be used to improve future editions. (Afr J Reprod Health 2020; 24[4]: 109-121).

Full Text:

PDF

References

Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E,

Ongolo-Zogo P and Uro-Chukwu HC. Promoting evidence-informed policy making in Nigeria: a review of the maternal, newborn and child health policy development process. Heal Promot Perspect 2017; 7: 181–189.

Mbachu CO, Onwujekwe O, Chikezie I, Ezumah N, Das

M and Uzochukwu BSC. Analysing key influences over actors’ use of evidence in developing policies and strategies in Nigeria: a retrospective study of the Integrated Maternal Newborn and Child Health strategy. Heal Res Policy Syst 2016; 14: 27.

Alenoghena I, Aigbiremolen A., Abejegah C and

Eboreime E. Primary health care in Nigeria: Strategies and constraints in implementation. Int J Community Res 2014; 3: 74–79.

Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E

and Ongolo-Zogo P. An assessment of maternal, newborn and child health implementation studies in Nigeria: implications for evidence-informed policymaking and practice. Heal Promot Perspect 2016; 6: 119–27.

Ongolo-Zogo P, Lavis JN, Tomson G and Sewankambo

NK. Assessing the influence of knowledge translation platforms on health system policy processes to achieve the health millennium development goals in Cameroon and Uganda: a comparative case study. Health Policy Plan 2018; 33: 539–554.

Moat KA, Lavis JN, Clancy SJ, El-Jardali F and Pantoja

T. Evidence briefs and deliberative dialogues: Perceptions and intentions to act on what was learnt. Bull World Health Organ 2014; 92: 20–8.

Rajan D, Adam T, El Husseiny D, Porignon D, Ghaffar

and Schmets G. Policy dialogue: What it is and how it can contribute to evidence-informed decision-making. Working paper, WHO: Geneva; 2015.

Robert E and Ridde V. « Policy dialogue » (dialogue sur

les politiques) : une synthèse exploratoire des écrits scientifiques. Cah Sci Realis 2018; 33.

Mc Sween-Cadieux E, Dagenais C, Somé PA and Ridde

V. Research dissemination workshops: observations and implications based on experience in Burkina Faso. Heal Res Policy Syst 2017; 15: 43.

Sween-cadieux EM, Dagenais C, Bonnet E, Somé PA

and Ridde V. Enjeux de l’ évaluation mixte en transfert de connaissances : un exemple en sécurité routière au Burkina Faso. In: Oser les défis des méthodes mixtes en sciences sociales et sciences de la santé. Montreal, 2018, pp. 157–172.

Dagenais C and Ridde V. Policy brief as a knowledge

transfer tool: to “make a splash” your policy brief must first be read. Gac Sanit 2018; 32: 203–205.

WHO. EVIPNet in action: 10 years, 10 stories. Geneva,

http://www.who.int/evidence/resources/publication/en/ (2016).

Sanon Ouédraogo D, Ki Ouedraogo S and Kouyaté B.

Mise en œuvre de stratégies porteuses pour la réduction de la mortalité maternelle au Burkina Faso (Note de politique SURE). Ouagadougou, http://www.who.int/entity/countryfocus/cooperation_strategy/countries/ccs_cpv_final_fr.pdf (2010).

Ongolo-Zogo P, Lavis JN, Tomson G and Sewankambo

NK. Initiatives supporting evidence-informed health system policymaking in Cameroon and Uganda: a comparative historical case study. BMC Health Serv Res; 14. Epub ahead of print 2014. DOI: 10.1186/s12913-014-0612-3.

Uneke CJ, Ndukwe CD, Ezeoha AA, Uro-Chukwu HC

and Ezeonu CT. Implementation of a health policy advisory committee as a knowledge translation platform: the Nigeria experience. Int J Heal Policy Manag 2015; 4: 161–168.

Uneke CJ, Aulakh BK, Ezeoha AE, Ndukwe CD and

Onwe F. Bridging the divide between research and policy in Nigeria: The role of a health policy advisory committee. J Public Health Policy 2012; 33: 423–429.

Uzochukwu B, Onwujekwe O, Mbachu C, Okwuosa C,

Etiaba E, Nyström ME and Gilson L. The challenge

of bridging the gap between researchers and policy makers: experiences of a Health Policy Research Group in engaging policy makers to support evidence-informed policy making in Nigeria. Global Health 2016; 12: 67.

Réjean Landry; Nabil Amara; Ariel Pablos-Mendes;

Ramesh Shademani; Irving Gold. The knowledge-value chain: a conceptual framework for knowledge translation in health. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2006; 84:597-602.

Uzochukwu B, Onwujekwe O, Mbachu C, Okwuosa C,

Etiaba E, Nyström ME and Gilson L. The challenge of bridging the gap between researchers and policy makers: experiences of a Health Policy Research Group in engaging policy makers to support evidence-informed policy making in Nigeria. Global Health 2016; 12: 67.

Uzochukwu BSC. Feasibility Study and Concept Note

for the Nigeria Research Day in Maternal and Child Health. Report. West African Health Organisation (WAHO): Bobo Dioulasso, 2017.

ODSG-MoH. Abiye - Safe Motherhood. The Abiye

programme, http://ondostatemoh.gov.ng/abiye.php (2013, accessed 30 January 2019).

Ogundipe OL. Experiences of women participating in a

safe motherhood (Abiye) project in Ondo state of Nigeria. IntJCurrMicrobiolAppSci 2013; 2: 148–161.

Alebiosu EA. National Health System, Maternal Health

and the Millennium Development Goals: A Review of Abiye Programme in Ondo State, Nigeria. Int J Humanit Soc Sci 2014; 4: 212–220.

Dovlo D, Nabyonga-Orem J, Estrelli Y and Mwisongo

A. Policy dialogues - The ‘bolts and joints’ of policy-making: Experiences from Cabo Verde, Chad and Mali. BMC Health Serv Res; 16. Epub ahead of print 2016. DOI: 10.1186/s12913-016-1455-x.

Lavis JN, Boyko JA, Oxman AD, Lewin S and Fretheim

A. SUPPORT Tools for evidence-informed health Policymaking (STP) 14: Organising and using policy dialogues to support evidence-informed policymaking. Heal Res Policy Syst 2009; 7: S14.

Robert E, Rajan D, Koch K, Muggleworth Weaver A,

Porignon D and Ridde V. Policy dialogue as a collaborative tool for multistakeholder health governance: a scoping study. BMJ Glob Heal. 2020 Apr 17; 4(Suppl 7):e002161. Available from: http://gh.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-002161.

Dovlo D, Monono ME, Elongo T and Nabyonga-Orem J.

Health policy dialogue: experiences from Africa. BMC Health Serv Res 2016; 16: 214.

Uneke CJ, Ezeoha A, Uro-Chukwu H, Ezeonu CT, Ogbu

O, Onwe F and Edoga C. Promoting Evidence to Policy Link on the Control of Infectious Diseases of Poverty in Nigeria: Outcome of A Multi-Stakeholders Policy Dialogue. Heal Promot Perspect 2015; 5: 104–115.

Lavis JN, Permanand G, Oxman AD, Lewin S and

Fretheim A. SUPPORT Tools for evidence-informed health Policymaking (STP) 13: Preparing and using policy briefs to support evidence-informed policymaking. Heal Res Policy Syst 2009; 7: S13.

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.