The Global Health Research InitiativeDiane Gagnon, Program Leader

Structure of this session

Objectives

• To be able to describe the key actors supporting global health research in Canada and the drivers behind their different mandates.

• To understand how critical judgement is used in setting priorities for funding global health research in Canada.

• To provide an analysis that situates global health as a development problem, and its relevance, if any, to Canada’s current national priorities.

Key GHR actors in CanadaResearch Funders• Global Health Research Initiative (GHRI)• Grand Challenges Canada (GCC)

NGOs• Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research

(CCGHR)• Canadian Society for International Health

5 Partners

Canadian International Development Agency

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Health Canada

International Development Research Centre

Public Health Agency of Canada

GHRI: A Cross-Government Partnership (2001-12)

VisionOur vision is of new knowledge from research to improve health.

Mission Canada’s Global Health Research Initiative funds research on global health problems, strengthening the capacity to do research and to use research findings to deal with global challenges.

Strategic Directions • Strengthening global health research in Canada and in low to middle income countries• Building research capacity to deal with global health challenges• Strengthening the capacity to use the results of global health research

GHRI: A Cross-Government Partnership

GHRI in a few numbers$71M* Total investments for approved research & programs (2001-2015)

10 Global health research programs funded since 2001

125+Global health research projects funded to date

190+Research settings in low and middle-income countries

60+ Countriesinvolved to date

62 Participating Canadian research institutionsand universities to date

Colombia

Peru

Bangladesh

Ethiopia

Tanzania

Bolivia

Israel and Palestine

Pakistan

GHRI around the world…

Mali

Argentina

Brazil

Canada

India

Georgia

El Salvador

Malawi

Nigeria

Nepal

Sri Lanka

Mexico

Uruguay

Thailand

Zambia

South Africa

CARICOMand Haiti

KenyaBenin

UgandaCameroon

Guatemala

Lebanon

Australia

New Zealand

Honduras

Democratic Republic of Congo

Egypte Jordan

Yemen

Iran

Syria

TunisiaAlgeria

Morocco

Ecuador

Chile

5 ActivePrograms:

$25M2006-2012

Teasdale-Corti(CIHR-IDRC)

$16.7M2009-2014

HIV-AIDS Prevention II

(CIDA-IDRC)$1.1M2008-2013

CIII-Haiti(CIDA-IDRC)

$5.9M

2008-2013

AHSI-RES(CIDA-IDRC)

$4M

EcoEID in SE Asia

(CIDA-IDRC)

GHRI contribution2010-2013

GHRI’s effectiveness is in its approach – identifying system complexities and addressing upstream determinants of healthThe case of Sri Lanka

• Inter-relations between human health and animal health. Can’t address one without addressing the other

• Early detection of animal disease outbreaks (at the farm level) and identification of emerging infectious diseases at source

• Linkages between animal health and agricultural productivity and livelihoods

• Building the component of an effective veterinary public health system

GHRI EndangeredFunding ends March 2012

Achievements of the GHRI platform (2001-2011)

•Leveraged Canadian investments in global health research for strategic programs•Model of intergovernmental collaboration•Building global health research field •Successful integration of quality, applied research through merit review with research capacity building •Cross-learning between partner agencies and programs

Global health research case studies

Selected achievements:Canadian International Immunization

Initiative•CIDA and IDRC funding, CA$ 2.7 million, 2005-9•Goal: Provide research grants to increase access to and enhance immunization services in CIDA priority countries

•GHRI Steering Committee’s collective input enhanced the program’s design•Influenced IDRC: set precedent for external competitive review•Improved health: e.g. ↑ measles immunization rates by 20% Lasbela district, Pakistan •Provided evidence for 4th MDG: operational and local research projects that together, unravelled the “Fallacy of coverage”

(in Biomed Central, Supplement, 2009)

Selected achievements:Africa Health Systems Initiative Support

to African Research Partnerships •CIDA and IDRC funding, CA$5.9 million, 2008-13•Goal: Policy-relevant health systems research in Sub-Saharan Africa •Influences CIDA programming and policies e.g. link to Africa Health Systems Initiative •Informs LMIC policies e.g. Mali telemedicine project•Built stronger links between decision-makers and researchers - in line with upcoming strategy of the WHO on health systems research

Selected achievements:HIV/AIDS Prevention Trial Capacity Building-Phase II•CIDA and IDRC funding, CA$16.7 million, 2009-14•Goal: Build sustainable African capacity and leadership to conduct future HIV prevention (vaccine) trials

•Common intergovernmental research platform•Improved Health Research Capacities in Africa•Leveraged additional research funds•Stronger collaboration and networking of African, Canadian

and international researchers and institutions in global HIV/AIDS prevention trials efforts

Selected Achievements: Teasdale-Corti program

•CIHR and IDRC funding, CA$25 million, 2006-12•Goal: contribute to improving health and strengthening health systems in LMICs

•Stimulated career tracks in GHR•Influenced Canadian and LMIC graduate training curricula, health programming and policies in LMICs and Canada•Leveraged 80 cents per dollar invested by GHRI (aligned with other donors’ priorities)

Harvesting findings...

Teasdale Corti projects are investigating:

Policies and programs to meet health needs of vulnerable

populations in Mali, Niger & Burkina Faso

Bridging gaps between MCH policies and their

implementation in Uganda

Complexities for MOU renewal

• 5 partners different on several levels – 3 focused on domestic with some global

health/international/foreign affaires; 2 focsued on supporting development (LMIC)

– 2 research funders; 1 interventions in LMIC; 2 Health of Canadians

• 5 government agencies/departments going through strategic review (5-10% cuts)

GHRI Partners - CIDA• Strategic Directions

– Reduction in poverty; funding intervention projects• Thematic Priorities

– Increasing food security; securing the future of children and youth; stimulating sustainable economic growth

– Health programming relates to HIV, TB, polio, malaria, health systems strengthening, and health human resources

• Country Priorities– Americas: Bolivia - Caribbean Regional Program - Colombia - Haiti - Honduras -

Peru– Asia: Afghanistan - Bangladesh - Indonesia - Pakistan - Vietnam – Eastern Europe: Ukraine – North Africa and Middle East: West Bank and Gaza – Sub-Saharan Africa: Ethiopia - Ghana - Mali - Mozambique - Senegal- Sudan -

Tanzania

GHRI Partners - CIHR• Strategic Directions

– World-class research excellence; health and health systems research priorities; accelerate the capture of health and economic benefits of health research

• Thematic Priorities– Enhance patient-oriented care and improve clinical results– Support a high-quality, accessible and sustainable health-care system– Reduce health inequities of Aboriginal peoples and other vulnerable pops – Prepare for and respond to existing and emerging threats to health– Promote health and reduce the burden of chronic disease and mental

illness• Country Priorities

– Mostly Canada

GHRI Partners – Health Canada• Strategic Directions

– Accessible and Sustainable Health System Responsive to the Health Needs of Canadians– Access to Safe and Effective Health Products and Food and Information for Healthy

Choices– Reduced health and environmental risks from products and substances, and healthy,

sustainable living and working environments– Better health outcomes and reduction of health inequalities between First Nations and

Inuit and other Canadians • Thematic Priorities

– Aboriginal health – Health Accord renewal– Note: Health Care Science Priorities: Health of First Nations and Inuit peoples, and

vulnerable populations; Food safety, clean water, and nutrition; Safe and effective health products; Safe consumer products, tobacco use, prevention, and control Environmental impacts on human health

• Country Priorities– Brazil, Mexico , China

GHRI Partners - IDRC• Strategic Directions

– Build new knowledge, including fields of knowledge, around themes, including health and health systems

– Build research capacity, especially in developing countries. – Enable its research partners to influence policy and practice,

and help build constituencies for change• Thematic Priorities (most relevant)

– Health and the Environment– Agriculture and Food Security– Health and Health Systems

• Country Priorities– Low and middle income countries

GHRI Partners - PHAC• Strategic Direction

– To anticipate and respond to the health needs of Canadians– To ensure actions are supported by integrated information and knowledge functions;

and– To further develop PHAC’s dedicated, professional workforce by providing it with the

tools and leadership it needs and by ensuring a supportive culture.• Thematic Priorities

– Healthy weight and childhood obesity– Chronic disease– Surveillance and control of infectious disease outbreaks– Health Accord renewal– Aboriginal health

• Country Priorities– Brazil, Russia, India, China

Small Group Exercise on GHRI(45 min.)

• You need to make the case for the renewal of GHRI.– What arguments will you make to demonstrate the

need for such an initiative?– What arguments will you make to convince each of

the partners to invest in the initiative?– How (what process/steps) will you convince the

partners?

You can also use the reading documents for this session

Process leading towards Renewal• Evaluative activities• Consultations on priorities• Discussions with (and within) each partner

agency• ‘Research harvesting’ activities to

demonstrate potential role• Discussions on potential flagship program…• Numerous, numerous, numerous meetings!

GHRI Renewed

3 Partners

Canadian International Development Agency

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

International Development Research Centre

Going Forward3 objectives• Research focused on low- and middle-income countries• Capacity strengthening of low- and middle-income

country and Canadian researchers and decision-makers• Stimulate knowledge translation

3 strategies• Fund research, capacity strengthening, KT• KT back to Canada• Policy role

Small Group ExerciseDeveloping a GHRI funding program

• You need to develop a funding program that will interest all three agencies– How (what process/steps) will you develop the

proposal?– What do you suggest be the focus of the funding

program:• niche/priority areas• objectives/expected outcomes• key components

Potential Flagship Program

• Find intersecting interests of all 3 partners• Ensure answers LMIC (and Canadian) needs• Ensure complements what the Canadian and

international community is doing• Ensure complements each agency’s initiatives• Ensure it builds on the strengths and

experience of GHRI (and its partners)