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The aim of this study was to enhance the capacity of Guidance and Counseling (BK) services in Manggarai Regency through the Problem Solving Learning Model, targeting BK teachers in vocational education units. The primary goal was to improve the quality of guidance and counseling services provided in these educational institutions. To achieve this, BK teachers underwent training focused on various skills including problem identification, problem analysis, solution development, and continuous monitoring. The training also emphasized the creation of effective solution implementation work plans. The objective was to equip BK teachers with the necessary tools and techniques to address challenges and provide meaningful guidance to students. The results of the training indicated a high level of enthusiasm among BK teachers in Manggarai Regency. Feedback assessments showed positive ratings, particularly in the areas of problem identification, problem analysis, solution development, and continuous monitoring plans, all of which received an average rating of 3.66, categorizing them as "good." However, the aspect of solution implementation work plans received a slightly lower rating of 3.1, indicating room for improvement. This finding highlights the need for continued attention and support from BK teachers, facilitators, school supervisors, officials, and the community to enhance the quality of guidance and counseling services further. Improving the solution implementation work plans can lead to more effective problem-solving strategies and contribute to overall improvements in learning and education quality throughout Manggarai Regency. In conclusion, while the training showed positive outcomes and high enthusiasm among participants, ongoing efforts and collaboration are necessary to sustain and build upon these improvements in guidance and counseling services for the benefit of students and educational institutions in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Despite the demonstrated value of quantitative research in understanding and responding to public health events, analytics capability is not always prioritized or available in settings that would greatly benefit from it. In Liberia, there are no university degree-granting programs in biostatistics or mathematical modeling, promoting dependence on external technical assistance. To address the gap, a local NGO, Quantitative-Data for Decision-Making (Q4D), was founded to enhance capacity and opportunities for analyzing quantitative data among Liberians. Methods To understand the relevance, utility, and impact of the skills being taught at Q4D, a tracer study was undertaken with current and former students. Participants completed an online survey that evaluated how often and in what ways they are applying course skills, as well as any personal or professional advancement they have attributed to their learning of coding and/or biostatistics through the program. Results Among 43 participants, 81% reported a high level of confidence in independently applying skills learned through Q4D classes in their jobs and/or academic programs. Most participants (81%) responded that they were actively demonstrating the skills they acquired; 74% were teaching the skills to others. Among the 83% of employed participants who reported using the skills currently in their jobs, 56% rated the skills they learned as very or extremely useful in their current positions. Several students attributed salary increments, consultancy opportunities, and scholarships to the skills gained through the program. Conclusions Program skills are being applied by students employed in health-related sectors, suggesting that the training content is relevant and useful for addressing some of the workforce’s analysis needs. Moreover, skills built through the program have positively impacted students by preparing them with the skills required for additional employment and training opportunities to advance in-country health research capacity and reduce inequities.

Introduction: Global inequality in clinical research capacity and service delivery can be indicated simply by the proportion of clinical trials that a country or region has registered in clinical trial registry databases. The proportion of clinical trials registered in Africa is very low at 0.02%, even though the region accounts for approximately 15% of the world's population. Despite the economic challenges in most African countries, they have shown potential for growth and change in recent years. Methods: We conducted desk reviews on the interventional clinical trials done in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria between 2015 to May 2023. The search was done in clinical trials repositories, and journal repositories. The search focused on intervention clinical trials. Data was extracted by screening through the publications and clinical trial platforms. The data extracted from the publications included the type of clinical trial, clinical trial phase, diseases, etc. The data extracted from the reports included: challenges in conducting clinical trials, capacity-building efforts, and the impact of the clinical trial. Results: The number of clinical trial studies identified in Kenya was 113 (28 were on infant clinical trials). The study identified 97 clinical trials in Nigeria, of which 11 studies were on infant clinical trials. In Ethiopia, there were 28 clinical trials and only five were on infant clinical trials. The landscape review also expanded to capacity and gaps in clinical trials in the three countries. The largest proportion of clinical trials carried out in Kenya was on injury, occupational disease, and poisoning, 30.5% (n = 18) and the smallest proportion was on kidney disease, neonatal disease, obstetrics, and gynecology. Most Infant clinical trials were carried out in the area of infections and infestations 33.3% (n=7). Most of the challenges faced by clinical trials in the three countries include a lack of infrastructure, a lack of human resources, and a lack of financial resources. Implications: There is a need to map clinical trials done by African researchers based in Africa to exclude the trials done by non-African researchers based in Africa. Opportunities for clinical trials should be supported and challenges addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of digital learning in healthcare is expanding in a range of contexts including for settings of armed conflict. Humanitarian emergencies and war often lead to a surge of traumatic injuries, emotional distress, and disruption to health systems risking neglect and exacerbations of chronic illness, and acute infectious disease outbreaks, often requiring an international response. On the ground humanitarian response is often essential though logistical and security challenges can delay these responses, and the reliance on an international workforce unfamiliar with local cultures can create challenges in response efforts. In crises where local healthcare workers have limited training, or experience in emergency care, digital health care education can augment in-person response and training efforts. In recent years digital emergency care education programs have been deployed to both Ukraine and Sudan. A review of each of these programs demonstrates successes in and potential utility of remote healthcare capacity strengthening through digital education in settings of war. These programs provide important lessons in strengths of and challenges in developing and delivering just in time learning programs to settings of active armed conflict suggesting similar potential utility in a variety of humanitarian emergency contexts.

Capacity development is at the core of water operators' partnerships (WOPs), which aim to enhance the capacities and performance of water and sanitation service providers. This study sought to understand the factors in a WOP that favour or hinder the start-up phase of WOP projects. Fifty interviews were performed with representatives of the lead, beneficiary and additional partners of 18 projects of the European Commission programme during the first year of the programme. The article finds that WOP projects represent a considerable challenge for the staff of water utilities as participating in such partnerships requires a skill set that is different from the skills required in their daily work activities. The findings also suggest that the facilitation of the WOP start-up can smoothen and accelerate the development of WOP projects. Moreover, the article argues that because of limited time and financial resources, WOP projects need to find a balance between prioritizing impacts that can be achieved using the variety of capacity strengthening approaches that are available. HIGHLIGHTS The article examines factors that influence the start-up of water operators' partnership (WOP) projects under a large WOP programme.; Ownership, top-level commitment and integration of the WOP project within the utility strategy and processes are crucial factors during the start-up phase.; Partnership practice needs to be learned.; Facilitation can play a positive role in smoothing the partnering of water operators.;

BACKGROUND: The USAID-funded Eradicate TB Project (ETB) partnered with the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program (NTLP) to establish an operational research (OR) training program in order to generate local evidence to enhance TB care in Zambia. METHOD: Between 2017 and 2021, healthcare workers (HCWs) from district teams underwent two 10-day intensive training sessions. The program evolved to include a competitive application process and an additional primer workshop on developing feasible research questions. RESULTS: Of the 36 enrollees in the OR training program, 26 (72.2%) completed it, leading to nine OR studies that informed interventions for TB care improvement. Notable achievements include reduced TB mortality, increased pediatric notifications, and enhanced sputum courier systems, with all studies disseminated at national and international conferences, four submitted to peer-reviewed journals, of which three were published. Two studies were replicated by the NTLP at provincial and national levels. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating OR training into TB initiatives is feasible and beneficial. The program's phased execution and adaptive strategies provide valuable insights for similar settings, although challenges in sustainability of mentorship and funding persist. This success underscores the importance of continuous OR capacity strengthening among HCWs in Zambia.

Science education and research have the potential to drive profound change in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through encouraging innovation, attracting industry, and creating job opportunities. However, in LMICs, research capacity is often limited, and acquisition of funding and access to state-of-the-art technologies is challenging. The Alliance for Global Health and Science (the Alliance) was founded as a partnership between the University of California, Berkeley (USA) and Makerere University (Uganda), with the goal of strengthening Makerere University's capacity for bioscience research. The flagship program of the Alliance partnership is the MU/UCB Biosciences Training Program, an in-country, hands-on workshop model that trains a large number of students from Makerere University in infectious disease and molecular biology research. This approach nucleates training of larger and more diverse groups of students, development of mentoring and bi-directional research partnerships, and support of the local economy. Here, we describe the project, its conception, implementation, challenges, and outcomes of bioscience research workshops. We aim to provide a blueprint for workshop implementation, and create a valuable resource for bioscience research capacity strengthening in LMICs.

Capacity strengthening activities – be that in the form of courses, workshops, seminars – have become embedded in research projects as a requirement for funding and as a means for researchers to demonstrate positive societal impacts. We apply qualitative research techniques including interviews, questionnaires and observations to scrutinise and document an international capacity strengthening course aimed at informing and supporting environmental management practice and policy in the Philippines. We appraise power gradients and dynamics between course instructors and participants from different cultures and geographical locations in the design and delivery of this course. We identify five key factors that course instructors should consider as part of their pedagogy: (i) active learning, (ii) knowledge scaffolding and consolidation, and (iii) situated learning, as well as being attuned to (iv) the language dynamics and (v) expertise and networking within the room when teaching the course. Practical efforts to address these issues require that instructors work with participants to co-produce knowledge, rather than assuming epistemic authority and imposing knowledge. This entails reflexive and adaptable practices before, during and after the course. It is recommended that such practices should be central to projects that include capacity strengthening activities, whether delivered locally or internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Healthcare practitioners delivering services in rural and underserved areas need timely access to appropriate knowledge to optimise the care they deliver. Novice generalist occupational therapists in South Africa experience this need as they respond to a high demand for hand therapy. Embedded within a study aimed at identifying their support and development needs, this article describes participants' experience of a virtual community of practice. Methods: A qualitative case study design was employed. Nine occupational therapists participated in a virtual community of practice that met fortnightly for meetings and interacted on WhatsApp. Data were collected through photo elicitation, facilitated reflection, and case discussions. An online survey questionnaire was used to evaluate participants' experience of this virtual community. Thematic analysis was applied to the anonymous responses submitted by participants (n=7). A number of strategies were employed to ensure the trustworthiness of results including prolonged engagement, member checking, peer examination, reflexive reading and writing, triangulation, and a dense description of participants to enable readers to evaluate the transferability of results. Results: Three themes were generated from analysis. The first theme, versatile support, describes participants' experience of being helped and supported, appreciating the immediacy of support, and being able to share resources. A vehicle for learning captures participants' experience of mutual learning, opportunity to reflect, to acquire knowledge and skills, and develop their clinical reasoning. Finally, the community of practice was grounding: learning opportunities were contextually relevant and participants were able to consolidate their professional values and identity. Participants raised the importance of using online platforms that were accessible, recommended a group size of 5--10 members, and proposed 60--90-minute meetings held weekly or fortnightly. Conclusion: A virtual community of practice provided both support and professional development opportunities for therapists delivering hand therapy. Careful planning and implementation to upscale this intervention are recommended for rehabilitation personnel delivering care to underserved communities in South Africa. The logistics of virtual communities need to mitigate for connectivity difficulties, and online platforms should enable realtime support. Participant satisfaction and the evaluation of implementation outcomes should be considered in the design of virtual communities of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The German Biosecurity Programme was launched in 2013 with the aim to support partner countries overcome biological threats including natural outbreaks or the intentional misuse of highly pathogenic agents. As part of this programme, this paper describes the development and implementation of a multilateral biosafety and biosecurity training initiative, called ‘Global Partnership Initiated Biosecurity Academia for Controlling Health Threats’ (GIBACHT). To achieve its objectives, GIBACHT implemented a blended-learning approach with self-directed, distance-based learning phases and three training-of-trainer workshops. The programme follows Kirkpatrick’s model of learning to guarantee sustainable effects of improved knowledge and skills. One hundred nine fellows from 26 countries have been trained in seven cohorts. Many GIBACHT alumni have established additional biosafety/biosecurity trainings in their home countries. The knowledge exchange is strengthened by the implementation of a Moodle-based alumni network. GIBACHT has the potential to contribute to strengthening the capacities of partner countries in Africa, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia to respond and build resilience to biological threats.

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) and faith-based service providers play a critical role in public health prevention, promotion, treatment, and community development. Effective capacity strengthening efforts through FBO partnerships can make a vital contribution toward effective localization. This case study details the efforts and results of a writing and publishing workshop provided in partnership with Corus International (IMA World Health) and the Africa Christian Health Associations Platform (ACHAP) in March of 2023. This case study also reports on workshop participantsʼ perceptions of the partnershipʼs approach to capacity strengthening. Three major and related themes emerged from the workshopʼs informal Focus Group Discussion transcription: 1) a safe and nurturing environment, 2) openness and shared decision-making, and 3) organizational humility.

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Introduction: Healthcare practitioners delivering services in rural and underserved areas need timely access to appropriate knowledge to optimise the care they deliver. Novice generalist occupational therapists in South Africa experience this need as they respond to a high demand for hand therapy. Embedded within a study aimed at identifying their support and development needs, this article describes participants' experience of a virtual community of practice. Methods: A qualitative case study design was employed. Nine occupational therapists participated in a virtual community of practice that met fortnightly for meetings and interacted on WhatsApp. Data were collected through photo elicitation, facilitated reflection, and case discussions. An online survey questionnaire was used to evaluate participants' experience of this virtual community. Thematic analysis was applied to the anonymous responses submitted by participants (n=7). A number of strategies were employed to ensure the trustworthiness of results including prolonged engagement, member checking, peer examination, reflexive reading and writing, triangulation, and a dense description of participants to enable readers to evaluate the transferability of results. Results: Three themes were generated from analysis. The first theme, versatile support, describes participants' experience of being helped and supported, appreciating the immediacy of support, and being able to share resources. A vehicle for learning captures participants' experience of mutual learning, opportunity to reflect, to acquire knowledge and skills, and develop their clinical reasoning. Finally, the community of practice was grounding: learning opportunities were contextually relevant and participants were able to consolidate their professional values and identity. Participants raised the importance of using online platforms that were accessible, recommended a group size of 5-10 members, and proposed 60-90-minute meetings held weekly or fortnightly. Conclusion: A virtual community of practice provided both support and professional development opportunities for therapists delivering hand therapy. Careful planning and implementation to upscale this intervention are recommended for rehabilitation personnel delivering care to underserved communities in South Africa. The logistics of virtual communities need to mitigate for connectivity difficulties, and online platforms should enable real-time support. Participant satisfaction and the evaluation of implementation outcomes should be considered in the design of virtual communities of practice.

Abstract Background Healthcare is a basic human right extending across all humanitarian contexts, including conflict. Globally, two billion people are living under conditions of insecurity and violent armed conflict with a consequent impact on public health. Health research in conflict-affected regions has been recognised as important to gain more understanding of the actual needs of such populations, to optimise healthcare delivery, as well as to inform advocacy and policy change. International collaborative research maximises the resources and skills available for dealing with global health issues, builds capacity and endeavours to ensure the research reflects real needs of the populations. Under the UK’s Global Challenge Research Fund in 2017 a number of such international programs were created including the Research for Health in Conflict-Middle East and North Africa (R4HC-MENA) partnership to build capacity in conflict and health research as well as study specific areas, namely noncommunicable diseases in conflict (cancer & mental health) and the political economy of health in conflict. Methods A qualitative study using semi-structured online interviews was conducted to explore researchers’ and stakeholders’ perspectives on the R4HC-MENA programme over its lifetime from 2017 to 2021. It aimed to understand the factors that influenced and accelerated international collaboration within the R4HC-MENA programme on conflict and health research, and to provide deeper insights into the implementation of the programme. Data collection was conducted from March 2022 to June 2022. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used for participant recruitment. Thematic analysis was applied for data analysis. Results Twelve researchers/stakeholders participated in this study: four men and eight women. Four main themes were generated: Theme 1: Network building (personal and institutional levels); Theme 2: Hierarchies and power dynamics (power imbalance between different academic status, genders and institutions); Theme 3: Communication challenges; Theme 4: Career development (management, leadership, research, and teaching skills). Conclusions This study provided preliminary insights into perspectives on international collaboration in a major international programme of research on conflict and health. Several key challenges and outputs were generated by the researchers in this study. The findings are important for further developing effective strategies to tackle the challenge of power imbalance and ineffective communication in international research collaborations.

Mentorship is vital for early-career researchers, especially women from low- and middle-income countries seeking to publish their work. This paper explores the evolution of the Women's Publication Mentorship Programme, a collaborative initiative pioneered by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, further strengthened through the partnership of Health Systems Global, and Health Policy and Planning. Over a span of five years and encompassing three cohorts, the program supported 45 early-career researchers from 24 countries, resulting in insightful papers on equity-oriented health system topics. Beyond the direct outcomes of strengthening the writing skills of first-time women authors and facilitating paper publications, the Programme has also influenced Health System Global's strategic approach and conceptual framework for systemic capacity strengthening in health policy and systems research. It has also played a pivotal role in addressing the longstanding gender imbalance in global health authorship. Amid these achievements, our program consistently evolved, drawing from lessons of the past cohort. Challenges, such as the need for extended paper development timelines, addressing language barriers, and strengthening methodological rigor in initial manuscripts, were met with solutions. Insights and experiences from previous participants translated into tangible results, notably elevating the quality of journal supplement publications. This commentary explores key lessons from the second cohort's journey and its evolving nature. It also highlights persistent challenges and provides practical recommendations for organizations to enhance their mentorship programs, ultimately fostering the career growth of early-career researchers in health policy and systems research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutional capacity is a crucial and decisive part of bureaucratic reform, playing a significant role in achieving good governance. The development of a featured regional commodity, such as superior silk, is an important effort to improve and develop a strategic commodity. The objective of this study is to analyze and describe the institutional capacity strengthening in the development of superior silk. The research method used in this study was qualitative, and the research location was in the District of Wajo, chosen because it has the potential for superior silk that needs to be developed through institutional capacity strengthening. The research findings indicate that the development of institutional capacity to harness the potential of the superior silk area needs improvement, particularly in terms of leadership and coordination, development of the featured commodity, networking and partnerships, as well as the ability to promote institutional strengthening in connection with the development of the superior silk area. These improvements aim to enhance the abilities of the actors within the institution to support the achievement of the target policy for the development of the superior silk area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Implementation research (IR) is increasingly gaining popularity as the act of carrying an intention into effect. It is thus an important approach to addressing individual practices, policies, programmes and other technologies to solving public health problems. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to experience public health problems which could be addressed using implementation research. These countries however fall behind prioritizing implementation research due to the disorganized approach used to providing knowledge about the value and scope of implementation research. This paper seeks to explain steps taken to resolve this by capacity strengthening activities through a comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship programme which was informed by needs assessment. Methods The roll-out of the comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship was done in phases, including engaging the implementation research community through TDR Global, competency building for programme officers and ethical review board/committee members, and practical guidance to develop an implementation research proposal. The Bloom taxonomy guided the training whilst the Kirkpatrick Model was used for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the capacity building. Results The findings identified critical areas of mentors and how mentorship should be structured and the most effective ways of delivering mentorship. These findings were used to develop a mentorship guide in IR. The mentorship guidance is to be used as a check-tool for mentoring participants during trainings as part of the package of resources in implementation research. It is also to be used in equipping review board members with knowledge on ethical issues in implementation research. Conclusion The approach for providing comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship for programme personnel has provided an opportunity for both potential mentors and mentees to make inputs into developing a mentorship guidance for LMICs. This guidance would help address mentorship initiation and implementation challenges in IR.

Abstract This meeting report presents the key findings and discussion points of a 3-h virtual workshop, held on 21 September 2022, and organized by the “Resilience Against Future Threats through Vector Control (RAFT)” research consortium. The workshop aimed to identify priorities for advancing arbovirus research, network and capacity strengthening in Africa. Due to increasing human population growth, urbanization and global movement (trade, tourism, travel), mosquito-borne arboviral diseases, such as dengue, Chikungunya and Zika, are increasing globally in their distribution and prevalence. This report summarizes the presentations that reviewed the current status of arboviruses in Africa, including: (i) key findings from the recent WHO/Special Programme for Research & Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO/TDR) survey in 47 African countries that revealed deep and widespread shortfalls in the capacity to cope with arbovirus outbreak preparedness, surveillance and control; (ii) the value of networking in this context, with examples of African countries regarding arbovirus surveillance; and (iii) the main priorities identified by the breakout groups on “research gaps”, “networks” and “capacity strengthening”. Graphical abstract

Background: The Strengthening Capacity in Environmental Physics, Hydrogeology and Statistics for conservation agriculture research (CEPHaS) consortium sought to to strengthen research capacity among a network of African and UK researchers, and their respective institutions, to fill knowledge gaps on the impacts of conservation agriculture practices on the water cycle in cultivated soils. We examined experiences of consortium membership and, drawing on this information, determined key recommendations for future programmes with similar objectives. Methods: A mixed methods study encompassing an online survey (N=40) and semi-structured interviews (N=19) completed between June 2021 and February 2022 with CEPHaS consortium members from Malawi, UK, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Survey and interview data were analysed separately, using univariate statistics and framework synthesis respectively Results: Survey and interview findings were generally aligned, with both revealing a wide range of reported capacity strengthening gains resulting from CEPHaS engagement at both an individual and institutional level. Participants consistently expressed their CEPHaS involvement in positive terms with praise for the applied ‘learn by doing’ approach underpinning many of the activities as well as the engaging and highly inclusive leadership. There was evidence that the various trainings and resources provided through CEPHaS were valued, frequently utilised, and often transferred beyond the immediate CEPHaS membership for wider benefit. Resource provision and staff training were seen as foundational for long-term institutional benefits. Some challenges and suggested areas for improvement were reported by participants as were potential opportunities to facilitate greater impact. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the basic ‘template’ of the CEPHaS consortium provided a strong basis for research capacity strengthening in Conservation Agriculture, especially at the level of individual researchers, and that this template could be further enhanced in any future iteration of the same or similar programme. Recommendations for replicating and enhancing CEPHaS programme strengths are presented.

Background: The Strengthening Capacity in Environmental Physics, Hydrogeology and Statistics for conservation agriculture research (CEPHaS) consortium sought to to strengthen research capacity among a network of African and UK researchers, and their respective institutions, to fill knowledge gaps on the impacts of conservation agriculture practices on the water cycle in cultivated soils. We examined experiences of consortium membership and, drawing on this information, determined key recommendations for future programmes with similar objectives. Methods: A mixed methods study encompassing an online survey (N=40) and semi-structured interviews (N=19) completed between June 2021 and February 2022 with CEPHaS consortium members from Malawi, UK, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Survey and interview data were analysed separately, using univariate statistics and framework synthesis respectively Results: Survey and interview findings were generally aligned, with both revealing a wide range of reported capacity strengthening gains resulting from CEPHaS engagement at both an individual and institutional level. Participants consistently expressed their CEPHaS involvement in positive terms with praise for the applied ‘learn by doing’ approach underpinning many of the activities as well as the engaging and highly inclusive leadership. There was evidence that the various trainings and resources provided through CEPHaS were valued, frequently utilised, and often transferred beyond the immediate CEPHaS membership for wider benefit. Resource provision and staff training were seen as foundational for long-term institutional benefits. Some challenges and suggested areas for improvement were reported by participants as were potential opportunities to facilitate greater impact. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the basic ‘template’ of the CEPHaS consortium provided a strong basis for research capacity strengthening in Conservation Agriculture, especially at the level of individual researchers, and that this template could be further enhanced in any future iteration of the same or similar programme. Recommendations for replicating and enhancing CEPHaS programme strengths are presented.

Background: Healthcare is a basic human right extending across all humanitarian contexts, including conflict. Globally, two billion people are living under conditions of insecurity and violent armed conflict with a consequent impact on public health. Health research in conflict-affected regions has been recognised as important to gain more understanding of the actual needs of such populations, to optimise healthcare delivery, as well as to inform advocacy and policy change. International collaborative research maximises the resources and skills available for dealing with global health issues, builds capacity and endeavours to ensure the research reflects real needs of the populations. Under the UK's Global Challenge Research Fund in 2017 a number of such international programs were created including the Research for Health in Conflict-Middle East and North Africa (R4HC-MENA) partnership to build capacity in conflict and health research as well as study specific areas, namely noncommunicable diseases in conflict (cancer & mental health) and the political economy of health in conflict. Methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured online interviews was conducted to explore researchers' and stakeholders' perspectives on the R4HC-MENA programme over its lifetime from 2017 to 2021. It aimed to understand the factors that influenced and accelerated international collaboration within the R4HC-MENA programme on conflict and health research, and to provide deeper insights into the implementation of the programme. Data collection was conducted from March 2022 to June 2022. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used for participant recruitment. Thematic analysis was applied for data analysis. Results: Twelve researchers/stakeholders participated in this study: four men and eight women. Four main themes were generated: Theme 1: Network building (personal and institutional levels); Theme 2: Hierarchies and power dynamics (power imbalance between different academic status, genders and institutions); Theme 3: Communication challenges; Theme 4: Career development (management, leadership, research, and teaching skills). Conclusions: This study provided preliminary insights into perspectives on international collaboration in a major international programme of research on conflict and health. Several key challenges and outputs were generated by the researchers in this study. The findings are important for further developing effective strategies to tackle the challenge of power imbalance and ineffective communication in international research collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study assessed the effects of capacity building on rural women involvement in Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)initiative in Rivers State, Nigeria. Respondents were leaders of rural women cooperative societies in Rivers State who were randomly selected from 23 Local Government Areas in the State. Structured questionnaire administration and Key Informant Interview was used to collect data while frequency counts, mean and percentages were employed to analyze the data collected. Results showed that the rural women interviewed were mostly adults, as majority (71.8%) were within the age range of 40 - 59 years. Majority (62.52%) were engaged in business/trading and other non-agricultural income generating activities, such as civil service (21.89%), income from pensions (3.13%), while 12.5% of the respondents had no other income generating activity aside farming. Some (40.63%) of the rural women had Senior Secondary Certificate as the highest form of education. Only 43.75% were aware of CSA, with 62.51% of them indicating low level of CSA knowledge. The major CSA management practices they know include mixed farming (50.0%), crop management practices (40.63%), application of indigenous knowledge and practices (25.0%) and soil management practices (25.0%). Approximately 84% have not attended CSA training before now. All the rural women (100%) used for the study upheld that CSA training is helpful in improving their CSA knowledge, imparted their readiness to adopt CSA practices (94%) and equipped them to be more involved in CSA initiative (100%). The major effects of capacity building on rural women involvement in CSA initiative are better knowledge of CSA for increased use of CSA practices (X̄ = 3.72), capacity to add value to their farm products (X̄= 3.69) and capacity to train others on CSA practices (X̄= 3.50). Regular training on CSA components by both government and private agencies could help in strengthening and sustaining rural women active participation in CSA initiative in the state and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This meeting report presents the key findings and discussion points of a 3-h virtual workshop, held on 21 September 2022, and organized by the "Resilience Against Future Threats through Vector Control (RAFT)" research consortium. The workshop aimed to identify priorities for advancing arbovirus research, network and capacity strengthening in Africa. Due to increasing human population growth, urbanization and global movement (trade, tourism, travel), mosquito-borne arboviral diseases, such as dengue, Chikungunya and Zika, are increasing globally in their distribution and prevalence. This report summarizes the presentations that reviewed the current status of arboviruses in Africa, including: (i) key findings from the recent WHO/Special Programme for Research & Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO/TDR) survey in 47 African countries that revealed deep and widespread shortfalls in the capacity to cope with arbovirus outbreak preparedness, surveillance and control; (ii) the value of networking in this context, with examples of African countries regarding arbovirus surveillance; and (iii) the main priorities identified by the breakout groups on "research gaps", "networks" and "capacity strengthening". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background A stable, well-functioning and integrated national medicines regulatory system is a core component of health systems resilient against infectious disease outbreaks. In many low- and middle-income countries, however, sizable gaps exist in the emergency preparedness framework of national regulatory authorities (NRAs). RegTrain-VaccTrain is a project of Germany Ministry of Health’s Global Health Protection Programme that contributes to global efforts aimed at strengthening such regulatory systems by providing technical support and advice to partner NRAs. In this study, we probed the outputs of our capacity-strengthening activities for clinical trials oversight (CTO) to take stock of progress made and examine remaining priorities in order to provide specialized technical assistance in addressing them to improve operational readiness for emergencies. Method Data validated from NRA self-benchmarking results in 2017 and worksheet records of November 2021 were utilized to assess the emergency preparedness capacity for CTO in three VaccTrain partner NRAs (Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia) before and after interventional capacity-strengthening partnership, using specific public health emergency-related (sub-)indicators of the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool. Results A generally weak and vulnerable structural framework for CTO characterized the emergency preparedness capacity in all three partner NRAs at baseline, thus putting their operational readiness for public health emergencies at risk. VaccTrain’s collaborative work was successful at supporting individual NRAs to develop the full spectrum of operational structures (including (draft) regulations, guidelines, and standard operating procedures) required to improve regulatory preparedness. A gap in the formal approval and implementation of developed legal documents in two of three NRAs still remains. Notwithstanding, a robust emergency framework now exists and the NRAs stand better prepared to respond to (future) locally-concerning health emergencies, during which time clinical trials activity was observed to heighten. Conclusions These results exemplify a north-south capacity-strengthening partnership model that effectively contributes in developing structures to enhance regulatory oversight and support expeditious product development in response to crises. They further underscore the equally critical role local/national processes play in facilitating the full implementation of developed structures.

Pangolins are among the most extensively traded taxa in southeastern Asia mainly due to the perceived medicinal value of their scales and other body parts, putting them at risk of extinction, however, little is known about their trade status in Nepal. The purpose of the study was to assess the status of pangolin trade in Makwanpur district of Nepal. Semi-structured interview with household (n = 90), key informant survey (n = 15), Four focus group discussion at each study site was conducted. Seizure data (2015-2019) were gathered from the law enforcement agencies to identify and analyze the major trade routes. The majority of the respondents (63%) were well aware of the protection status of pangolins. Further, our study found that historically local peoples used pangolin body parts in making rings, bags, jackets, and musical instruments but at present they stopped it. Pangolin traders were typically middle-aged men and unemployed youth. Majority of the hunting was found to be opportunistic but when pangolins were caught, they were generally sold for additional income. Currently, the seizure data has shown the declining trend of pangolin trade within the Makwanpur district. Community forest user groups and community based anti-poaching units are working actively for the conservation and promulgation of threatened pangolins in the Makwanpur district which had long served as a major trade route to China. Thus, we advocate strengthening border security and the formation of community-based anti-poaching units, followed by mobilization, anti-poaching trainings, security assurance, and incentives for worthy conservation results in pangolin-rich communities. Further, we recommend sustained conservation awareness programs, in addition to alternative livelihood opportunities, for the long-term conservation of pangolins and their habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The populations of Afro‐Palearctic migratory landbirds (breeding in Europe and overwintering in Africa) are declining and conservation efforts to halt or reverse their decline have failed to meet their targets. Yet, most studies and conservation measures focus on migratory landbirds' breeding grounds, whereas knowledge about threats, drivers of their decline and conservation actions in their nonbreeding grounds, where they spend most of their annual cycle, is largely limited. Here, we provide a four‐step roadmap to integrate research, policy and actions for conserving Afro‐Palearctic migratory landbirds at a flyway scale: (1) assessing and monitoring population trends and defining priority species accordingly; (2) maximizing tracking data to identify important areas for the conservation of priority species; (3) conducting ground‐based studies on the nonbreeding grounds to identify conservation challenges; (4) implementing conservation measures, for the benefit of both the avifauna and the local human communities. Alongside these steps, international conventions may facilitate new collaborations across range‐states and institutions to engage diverse stakeholders and involve local communities, with particular emphasis on evidence‐based policymaking, law enforcement in addition to capacity strengthening and knowledge transfer of new technologies. This four‐step roadmap provides guidance for future work on Afro‐Palearctic migratory landbirds and will ultimately contribute to their conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ESSENCE on Health Research initiative established a Working Group on Review of Investments in 2018 to improve coordination and collaboration among funders of health research capacity strengthening. The Working Group comprises more than a dozen ESSENCE members, including diverse representation by geography, country income level, the public sector, and philanthropy. Objective: The overall goal of the Working Group is increased research on national health priorities as well as improved pandemic preparedness, and, ultimately, fewer countries with very limited research capacity. Methods: We developed a basic set of metrics for national health research capacity, assessed different models of coordination and collaboration, took a deeper dive into eight countries to characterize their national research capacity, and began to identify opportunities to better coordinate our investments. In this article, we summarize the presentations, discussions, and outcomes of our second annual (virtual) meeting, which had more than 100 participants representing funders, researchers, and other stakeholders from higher- and lower-income countries worldwide. Findings and conclusions: Presentations on the first day included the keynote speaker, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO), and updates on data and metrics for research capacity, which are critical to establish targets, road maps, and budgets. The second day focused on improving collaboration and coordination among funders and other stakeholders, the potential return on investment for health research, ongoing work to increase coordination at the country level, and examples of research capacity strengthening efforts in diverse health research areas from around the world. We concluded that an intentional data- and metric-driven approach to health research capacity strengthening, emphasizing coordination among funders, local leadership, and equitable partnerships and allocation of resources, will enhance the health systems of resource-poor countries as well as the world's pandemic preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate Change research plays a pivotal role in Africa’s sustainable development by providing the required scientific evidence to inform the design of Africa’s development priorities. The need for enhanced climate research is heightened by the fact that Africa is one of the regions likely to be most affected by the impacts of global warming and climate change. This paper highlights some key lessons learnt from the provision of climate research support in Africa under the Climate Impact Research Capacity Leadership Enhancement (CIRCLE) project implemented by the African Academy of Sciences and the Association of Commonwealth Universities in partnership with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, Vitae, and the University of Greenwich’s Natural Resources Institute. The paper discusses the early-career research support landscape in Africa, the place of institutional strengthening in climate research programming, and the need for a well-coordinated community and public engagement in the climate research projects. Lessons from the CIRCLE programme provide useful insights for future climate research programme design and early-career research support initiatives in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Developing public health educational programs that provide workers prepared to adequately respond to health system challenges is an historical dilemma. In India, the focus on public health education has been mounting in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic is a harbinger of the increasing complexities surrounding public health challenges and the overdue need to progress public health education around the world. This paper aims to explore strengths and challenges of public health educational institutions in India, and elucidate unique opportunities to emerge as a global leader in reform. Methods To capture the landscape of public health training in India, we initiated a web-based desk review of available offerings and categorized by key descriptors and program qualities. We then undertook a series of in-depth interviews with representatives from a purposively sample of institutions and performed a qualitative SWOT analysis. Results We found that public health education exists in many formats in India. Although Master of Public Health (MPH) and similar programs are still the most common type of public health training outside of community medicine programs, other postgraduate pathways exist including diplomas, PhDs, certificates and executive trainings. The strengths of public health education institutions include research capacities, financial accessibility, and innovation, yet there is a need to improve collaborations and harmonize training with well-defined career pathways. Growing attention to the sector, improved technologies and community engagement all hold exciting potential for public health education, while externally held misconceptions can threaten institutional efficacy and potential. Conclusions The timely need for and attention to public health education in India present a critical juncture for meaningful reform. India may also be well-situated to contextualize and scale the types of trainings needed to address complex challenges and serve as a model for other countries and the world.

Abstract Background Capacity strengthening initiatives aimed at increasing research knowledge and skills of investigators in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have been implemented over the last several decades. With increased capacity, local investigators will have greater leadership in defining research priorities and impact policy change to help improve health outcomes. Evaluations of models of capacity strengthening programs are often limited to short-term impact. Noting the limitations of traditional output-based evaluations, we utilized a broader framework to evaluate the long-term impact of the Vanderbilt Institute in Research Development and Ethics (VIRDE), a decade-old intensive grant development practicum specifically tailored for investigators from LMICs. Methods To assess the impact of VIRDE on the research careers of alumni over the past 10 years, we surveyed alumni on research engagement, grant productivity, career trajectory, and knowledge gained in grant writing. Descriptive statistics, including means and total counts, and paired sample t-tests were used to analyze the data. Results Forty-six of 58 alumni completed the survey. All respondents returned to their home countries and are currently engaged in research. Post-VIRDE grant writing knowledge ratings were significantly greater than pre-VIRDE. The number of respondents submitting grants post-VIRDE was 2.6 times higher than before the program. Eighty-three percent of respondents submitted a total of 147 grants post-VIRDE, of which 45.6% were awarded. Respondents acknowledged VIRDE’s positive impact on career growth and leadership, with 88% advancing in career stage. Conclusions Gains in grant writing knowledge and grant productivity suggest that VIRDE scholars built skills and confidence in grant writing during the program. A substantial proportion of respondents have advanced in their careers and continue to work in academia in their country of origin. Results show a sustained impact on the research careers of VIRDE alumni. The broader framework for research capacity strengthening resulted in an expansive assessment of the VIRDE program and alumni, illuminating successful program elements and implications that can inform similar capacity strengthening programs.

Abstract The populations of Afro‐Palearctic migratory landbirds (breeding in Europe and overwintering in Africa) are declining and conservation efforts to halt or reverse their decline have failed to meet their targets. Yet, most studies and conservation measures focus on migratory landbirds’ breeding grounds, whereas knowledge about threats, drivers of their decline and conservation actions in their nonbreeding grounds, where they spend most of their annual cycle, is largely limited. Here, we provide a four‐step roadmap to integrate research, policy and actions for conserving Afro‐Palearctic migratory landbirds at a flyway scale: (1) assessing and monitoring population trends and defining priority species accordingly; (2) maximizing tracking data to identify important areas for the conservation of priority species; (3) conducting ground‐based studies on the nonbreeding grounds to identify conservation challenges; (4) implementing conservation measures, for the benefit of both the avifauna and the local human communities. Alongside these steps, international conventions may facilitate new collaborations across range‐states and institutions to engage diverse stakeholders and involve local communities, with particular emphasis on evidence‐based policymaking, law enforcement in addition to capacity strengthening and knowledge transfer of new technologies. This four‐step roadmap provides guidance for future work on Afro‐Palearctic migratory landbirds and will ultimately contribute to their conservation.

Background: Development assistance for health (DAH) is an important mechanism for funding and technical support to low-income countries. Despite increased DAH spending, intractable health challenges remain. Recent decades have seen numerous efforts to reform DAH models, yet pernicious challenges persist amidst structural complexities and a growing number of actors. Systems-based approaches are promising for understanding these types of complex adaptive systems. This paper presents a systems-based understanding of DAH, including barriers to achieving sustainable and effective country-driven models for technical assistance and capacity strengthening to achieve better outcomes Methods: We applied an innovative systems-based approach to explore and map how donor structures, processes, and norms pose challenges to improving development assistance models. The system mapping was carried out through an iterative co-creation process including a series of discussions and workshops with diverse stakeholders across 13 countries. Results: Nine systemic challenges emerged: 1) reliance on external implementing partners undermines national capacity; 2) prioritizing global initiatives undercuts local programming; 3) inadequate contextualization hampers program sustainability; 4) decision-maker blind spots inhibit capacity to address inequities; 5) power asymmetries undermine local decision making; 6) donor funding structures pose limitations downstream; 7) program fragmentation impedes long-term country planning; 8) reliance on incomplete data perpetuates inequities; and 9) overemphasis on donor-prioritized data perpetuates fragmentation. Conclusions: These interconnected challenges illustrate interdependencies and feedback loops manifesting throughout the system. A particular driving force across these system barriers is the influence of power asymmetries between actors. The articulation of these challenges can help stakeholders overcome biases about the efficacy of the system and their role in perpetuating the issues. These findings indicate that change is needed not only in how we design and implement global health programs, but in how system actors interact. This requires co-creating solutions that shift the structures, norms, and mindsets governing DAH models.

Science education and research have the potential to drive profound change in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through encouraging innovation, attracting industry, and creating job opportunities. However, in LMICs, research capacity is often limited, and acquisition of funding and access to state-of-the-art technologies is challenging. The Alliance for Global Health and Science (the Alliance) was founded as a partnership between the University of California, Berkeley (USA) and Makerere University (Uganda), with the goal of strengthening Makerere University’s capacity for bioscience research. The flagship program of the Alliance partnership is the MU/UCB Biosciences Training Program, an in-country, hands-on workshop model that trains a large number of students from Makerere University in infectious disease and molecular biology research. This approach nucleates training of larger and more diverse groups of students, development of mentoring and bi-directional research partnerships, and support of the local economy. Here, we describe the project, its conception, implementation, challenges, and outcomes of bioscience research workshops. We aim to provide a blueprint for workshop implementation, and create a valuable resource for bioscience research capacity strengthening in LMICs.

Background The EDCTP-TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowship (CRDF) scheme has offered one-year clinical research training placements for early- and mid-career researchers from LMIC since 1999. Objective Using the results of a 2018 external evaluation of the CRDF, the current article aims to identify the principal benefits for the main stakeholders of the CRDF scheme as well as the main barriers to accessing these benefits. Method Data analysis was derived from an external evaluation of the CRDF scheme. Based on a logical framework approach, data for the external evaluation was collected through document review, interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires collected from the main stakeholder groups. The evaluation was structured along six main themes: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, and equity. Results The current paper focuses on the expected benefits, unexpected benefits, and barriers to enjoying benefits of the scheme for key stakeholders. Discussion Expected benefits were aligned with the development of clinical research competencies, which is the objective of the scheme. Unexpected benefits centred on transferable professional skills in scientific leadership and knowledge translation. Barriers mainly were found around engagement with home institutions and the return and reintegration of fellows following the training period. Conclusions and Recommendations Recommendations include further engagement with and support for home institutions and developing a formal framework for the development of transferable professional competencies, including leadership and knowledge transfer competencies.

The use of digital learning in healthcare is expanding in a range of contexts including for settings of armed conflict. Humanitarian emergencies and war often lead to a surge of traumatic injuries, emotional distress, and disruption to health systems risking neglect and exacerbations of chronic illness, and acute infectious disease outbreaks, often requiring an international response. On the ground humanitarian response is often essential though logistical and security challenges can delay these responses, and the reliance on an international workforce unfamiliar with local cultures can create challenges in response efforts. In crises where local healthcare workers have limited training, or experience in emergency care, digital health care education can augment in-person response and training efforts. In recent years digital emergency care education programs have been deployed to both Ukraine and Sudan. A review of each of these programs demonstrates successes in and potential utility of remote healthcare capacity strengthening through digital education in settings of war. These programs provide important lessons in strengths of and challenges in developing and delivering just in time learning programs to settings of active armed conflict suggesting similar potential utility in a variety of humanitarian emergency contexts., Competing Interests: Two authors have roles in SUDRO, the organization that coordinated and lead the Sudan emergency ECHO; Dr. Fadul as President and Dr. D’Andrea as Director of Training and Capacity Building. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 D’Andrea, Fadul, Dery, Brim, Israel and Struminger.)

Background: The ESSENCE on Health Research initiative established a Working Group on Review of Investments in 2018 to improve coordination and collaboration among funders of health research capacity strengthening. The Working Group comprises more than a dozen ESSENCE members, including diverse representation by geography, country income level, the public sector, and philanthropy. Objective: The overall goal of the Working Group is increased research on national health priorities as well as improved pandemic preparedness, and, ultimately, fewer countries with very limited research capacity. Methods: We developed a basic set of metrics for national health research capacity, assessed different models of coordination and collaboration, took a deeper dive into eight countries to characterize their national research capacity, and began to identify opportunities to better coordinate our investments. In this article, we summarize the presentations, discussions, and outcomes of our second annual (virtual) meeting, which had more than 100 participants representing funders, researchers, and other stakeholders from higher- and lower-income countries worldwide. Findings and conclusions: Presentations on the first day included the keynote speaker, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO), and updates on data and metrics for research capacity, which are critical to establish targets, road maps, and budgets. The second day focused on improving collaboration and coordination among funders and other stakeholders, the potential return on investment for health research, ongoing work to increase coordination at the country level, and examples of research capacity strengthening efforts in diverse health research areas from around the world. We concluded that an intentional data- and metric-driven approach to health research capacity strengthening, emphasizing coordination among funders, local leadership, and equitable partnerships and allocation of resources, will enhance the health systems of resource-poor countries as well as the world’s pandemic preparedness.

Background: A stable, well-functioning and integrated national medicines regulatory system is a core component of health systems resilient against infectious disease outbreaks. In many low- and middle-income countries, however, sizable gaps exist in the emergency preparedness framework of national regulatory authorities (NRAs). RegTrain-VaccTrain is a project of Germany Ministry of Health's Global Health Protection Programme that contributes to global efforts aimed at strengthening such regulatory systems by providing technical support and advice to partner NRAs. In this study, we probed the outputs of our capacity-strengthening activities for clinical trials oversight (CTO) to take stock of progress made and examine remaining priorities in order to provide specialized technical assistance in addressing them to improve operational readiness for emergencies.Method: Data validated from NRA self-benchmarking results in 2017 and worksheet records of November 2021 were utilized to assess the emergency preparedness capacity for CTO in three VaccTrain partner NRAs (Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia) before and after interventional capacity-strengthening partnership, using specific public health emergency-related (sub-)indicators of the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool.Results: A generally weak and vulnerable structural framework for CTO characterized the emergency preparedness capacity in all three partner NRAs at baseline, thus putting their operational readiness for public health emergencies at risk. VaccTrain's collaborative work was successful at supporting individual NRAs to develop the full spectrum of operational structures (including (draft) regulations, guidelines, and standard operating procedures) required to improve regulatory preparedness. A gap in the formal approval and implementation of developed legal documents in two of three NRAs still remains. Notwithstanding, a robust emergency framework now exists and the NRAs stand better prepared to respond to (future) locally-concerning health emergencies, during which time clinical trials activity was observed to heighten.Conclusions: These results exemplify a north-south capacity-strengthening partnership model that effectively contributes in developing structures to enhance regulatory oversight and support expeditious product development in response to crises. They further underscore the equally critical role local/national processes play in facilitating the full implementation of developed structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Quality human resources constitute an essential pillar of an effective health system. This paper analyzes the outcomes of blended learning for post-Ebola capacity strengthening of health professionals in Guinea. Methods Two courses lasting 3 months each (7–8 modules) were developed and implemented: one in Primary Health Care (eSSP) and the other in Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Management (eSSR). Both eSSP and eSSR courses were offered online on the Moodle platform, followed by a face-to-face capacity-building workshop. A cross-sectional study using a mixed-methods approach was conducted in 2018–19. As outcomes, we described learners’ sociodemographic characteristics, course completion and success, and perceptions of the courses and support from the instructors, analyzed the factors associated with learners’ successful completion and reported on learners’ feedback on their blended learning experience. Quantitative data were analyzed using the STATA 15 software, and qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. Results Overall, 282 health professionals were enrolled for both eSSP and eSSR courses. The completion rate was 69.5% (196/282). The success rate for learners who completed the courses was 80% (156/196), and the overall success rate for enrollees was 55% (156/282). The dropout and abstention rates were 22 and 9%, respectively. On both eSSP and eSSR courses, the success rate of women enrolled was higher than or equal to men’s. The success rate of medical doctors enrolled (53% for eSSP and 67% for eSSR) was higher than for other health professionals, in particular nurses (9% for eSSP) and midwives (40% for eSSR). Course type was associated with success (AOR = 1.93; 95% CI = 1.15–3.24). Most learners strongly agreed that the courses are relevant for targeted health professionals (81 to 150/150), pdf course materials are well-structured and useful (105/150), the content of the modules is relevant, comprehensible, and clear (90/150), self-assessment quizzes are helpful (105/150), summative assessment assignments are relevant (90/150), the course administrators and IT manager were responsive to learners’ concerns (90/150), they will recommend the courses to colleagues and friends (120/150). Conclusion Two blended courses for capacity strengthening of health professionals were successfully developed and implemented in Guinea.

Background: Development assistance for health (DAH) is an important mechanism for funding and technical support to low-income countries. Despite increased DAH spending, intractable health challenges remain. Recent decades have seen numerous efforts to reform DAH models, yet pernicious challenges persist amidst structural complexities and a growing number of actors. Systems-based approaches are promising for understanding these types of complex adaptive systems. This paper presents a systems-based understanding of DAH, including barriers to achieving sustainable and effective country-driven models for technical assistance and capacity strengthening to achieve better outcomes Methods: We applied an innovative systems-based approach to explore and map how donor structures, processes, and norms pose challenges to improving development assistance models. The system mapping was carried out through an iterative co-creation process including a series of discussions and workshops with diverse stakeholders across 13 countries. Results: Nine systemic challenges emerged: 1) reliance on external implementing partners undermines national capacity; 2) prioritizing global initiatives undercuts local programming; 3) inadequate contextualization hampers program sustainability; 4) decision-maker blind spots inhibit capacity to address inequities; 5) power asymmetries undermine local decision making; 6) donor funding structures pose limitations downstream; 7) program fragmentation impedes long-term country planning; 8) reliance on incomplete data perpetuates inequities; and 9) overemphasis on donor-prioritized data perpetuates fragmentation. Conclusions: These interconnected challenges illustrate interdependencies and feedback loops manifesting throughout the system. A particular driving force across these system barriers is the influence of power asymmetries between actors. The articulation of these challenges can help stakeholders overcome biases about the efficacy of the system and their role in perpetuating the issues. These findings indicate that change is needed not only in how we design and implement global health programs, but in how system actors interact. This requires co-creating solutions that shift the structures, norms, and mindsets governing DAH models.

Objective: To describe the design, delivery and evaluation of the 3rd Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD) Implementation Science School (ISS), delivered virtually in 2020 for the first time.Methods: Since 2014, GACD has supported the delivery of more than ten Implementation Science Workshops for more than 500 international participants. It has also been conducting an annual ISS since 2018. In this study, we described the design, delivery and evaluation of the third ISS.Results: Forty-six participants from 23 countries in five WHO regions attended the program. The virtual delivery was well-received and found to be efficient in program delivery, networking and for providing collaborative opportunities for trainees from many different countries. The recently developed GACD Implementation Science e-Hub was found to be an instrumental platform to support the program by providing a stand-alone, comprehensive online learning space for knowledge and skill development in implementation research.Conclusion: The delivery of the virtual GACD ISS proved to be feasible, acceptable and effective and offers greater scalability and sustainability as part of a future strategy for capacity strengthening in implementation research globally.

Purpose – To meet the rising global needs, the humanitarian community has signed off on making a strategic change toward more localisation, which commonly refers to the empowerment of national and local actors in humanitarian assistance. However, to this date, actual initiatives for localisation are rare. To enhance understanding of the phenomenon, the authors explore localisation of logistics preparedness capacities and obstacles to its implementation. The authors particularly take the perspective of the international humanitarian organisation (IHO) community as they are expected to implement the localisation strategy. Design/methodology/approach – A phenomenon-driven, exploratory and qualitative study was conducted. Data collection included in-depth interviews with 28 experienced humanitarian professionals. Findings – The findings showed the ambiguity inherent in the localisation strategy with largely different views on four important dimensions. Particularly, the interviewees differ about strengthening external actors or internal national/local offices. The resulting framework visualises the gap between strategy formulation and implementation, which forms major obstacles to the localisation aims. Research limitations/implications – Further research is required to support the advancement of localisation of logistics preparedness capacities. Important aspects for future research include triangulation of results, other stakeholder perspectives and the influence of context. Practical implications – The authors add to the important debate surrounding localisation by offering remedies to overcoming obstacles to strategy implementation. Further, the authors’ proposed framework offers a language to precisely describe the ways in which IHOs (should) view localisation of logistics preparedness capacities and its operationalisation. Originality/value – To the best of authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first academic article on localisation within the humanitarian logistics context.

Abstract Background Capacity strengthening of primary health care workers is widely used as a means to strengthen health service delivery, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Despite the widespread recognition of the importance of capacity strengthening to improve access to quality health care, how the term ‘capacity strengthening’ is both used and measured varies substantially across the literature. This scoping review sought to identify the most common domains of individual capacity strengthening, as well as their most common forms of measurement, to generate a better understanding of what is meant by the term ‘capacity strengthening’ for primary health care workers. Methods Six electronic databases were searched for studies published between January 2000 and October 2020. A total of 4474 articles were screened at title and abstract phase and 323 full-text articles were reviewed. 55 articles were ultimately identified for inclusion, covering various geographic settings and health topics. Results Capacity strengthening is predominantly conceptualised in relation to knowledge and skills, as either sole domains of capacity, or used in combination with other domains including self-efficacy, practices, ability, and competencies. Capacity strengthening is primarily measured using pre- and post-tests, practical evaluations, and observation. These occur along study-specific indicators, though some pre-existing, validated tools are also used. Conclusion The concept of capacity strengthening for primary health care workers reflected across a number of relevant frameworks and theories differs from what is commonly seen in practice. A framework of individual capacity strengthening across intra-personal, inter-personal, and technical domains is proposed, as an initial step towards building a common consensus of individual capacity strengthening for future work.

The next emergent novel pathogen is likely to occur where the ability to undertake health research and collect life-saving data is lacking. Without embedded and ongoing research activities in place spotting and stopping a new threat is not possible, thereby enabling undetected infection and unchecked transmission within a community. Without local existing capabilities to collect such data delay is catastrophic. Fundamental goals in pandemic preparedness should be to stop an outbreak before it becomes a pandemic. This requires immediate action from teams already in place with the right skills, this could be readily achieved if we shift our thinking and enable research capabilities to be present in every healthcare setting. Addressing fundamental gaps in health research capacity and equity could tackle this and then we would be better prepared, globally.

Background: The ‘DELTAS Africa CPE seed fund’ was a pilot scheme designed to strengthen capacity in community and public engagement (CPE) via a ‘learn by doing’ approach. The scheme supported a total of 25 early career researchers and research support staff belonging to the DELTAS Africa network to design and implement a variety of CPE projects between August 2019 and February 2021. We examine recipient experiences of the DELTAS Africa CPE seed fund initiative, changes in their CPE attitudes, knowledge and proficiency and their CPE practice and/or practice intentions post-award. Methods: A mixed-methods process and performance evaluation drawing on three data sources: An anonymous, online knowledge, attitude and practice survey completed by CPE seed fund awardees pre- and post-project implementation (N=23); semi-structured interviews completed with a sub-sample of awardees and programme implementors (N=9); and ‘end-of-project’ reports completed by all seed fund awardees (N=25). Results: All awardees described their seed fund experience in positive terms, despite invariably finding it more challenging than originally anticipated. The combined survey, interview and end of project report data all uniformly revealed improvement in awardees’ self-reported CPE knowledge, attitudes and proficiency by completion of their respective projects. Commitment to continued CPE activity post-award was evident in the survey data and all interviewees were adamant that they would integrate CPE within their respective research work going forward. Conclusion: The DELTAS Africa CPE seed fund appeared to work successfully as a CPE capacity strengthening platform and as a vehicle for fostering longer-term interest in CPE activities.

Background: Developing public health educational programs that provide workers prepared to adequately respond to health system challenges is an historical dilemma. In India, the focus on public health education has been mounting in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic is a harbinger of the increasing complexities surrounding public health challenges and the overdue need to progress public health education around the world. This paper aims to explore strengths and challenges of public health educational institutions in India, and elucidate unique opportunities to emerge as a global leader in reform.Methods: To capture the landscape of public health training in India, we initiated a web-based desk review of available offerings and categorized by key descriptors and program qualities. We then undertook a series of in-depth interviews with representatives from a purposively sample of institutions and performed a qualitative SWOT analysis.Results: We found that public health education exists in many formats in India. Although Master of Public Health (MPH) and similar programs are still the most common type of public health training outside of community medicine programs, other postgraduate pathways exist including diplomas, PhDs, certificates and executive trainings. The strengths of public health education institutions include research capacities, financial accessibility, and innovation, yet there is a need to improve collaborations and harmonize training with well-defined career pathways. Growing attention to the sector, improved technologies and community engagement all hold exciting potential for public health education, while externally held misconceptions can threaten institutional efficacy and potential.Conclusions: The timely need for and attention to public health education in India present a critical juncture for meaningful reform. India may also be well-situated to contextualize and scale the types of trainings needed to address complex challenges and serve as a model for other countries and the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Capacity strengthening initiatives aimed at increasing research knowledge and skills of investigators in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have been implemented over the last several decades. With increased capacity, local investigators will have greater leadership in defining research priorities and impact policy change to help improve health outcomes. Evaluations of models of capacity strengthening programs are often limited to short-term impact. Noting the limitations of traditional output-based evaluations, we utilized a broader framework to evaluate the long-term impact of the Vanderbilt Institute in Research Development and Ethics (VIRDE), a decade-old intensive grant development practicum specifically tailored for investigators from LMICs. Methods: To assess the impact of VIRDE on the research careers of alumni over the past 10 years, we surveyed alumni on research engagement, grant productivity, career trajectory, and knowledge gained in grant writing. Descriptive statistics, including means and total counts, and paired sample t-tests were used to analyze the data. Results: Forty-six of 58 alumni completed the survey. All respondents returned to their home countries and are currently engaged in research. Post-VIRDE grant writing knowledge ratings were significantly greater than pre-VIRDE. The number of respondents submitting grants post-VIRDE was 2.6 times higher than before the program. Eighty-three percent of respondents submitted a total of 147 grants post-VIRDE, of which 45.6% were awarded. Respondents acknowledged VIRDE's positive impact on career growth and leadership, with 88% advancing in career stage. Conclusions: Gains in grant writing knowledge and grant productivity suggest that VIRDE scholars built skills and confidence in grant writing during the program. A substantial proportion of respondents have advanced in their careers and continue to work in academia in their country of origin. Results show a sustained impact on the research careers of VIRDE alumni. The broader framework for research capacity strengthening resulted in an expansive assessment of the VIRDE program and alumni, illuminating successful program elements and implications that can inform similar capacity strengthening programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]