The Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED):

Central Asia Programme

The Council on Health Research for Development supports a range of health sector partners in Central Asia in their efforts to put reforms into action. The Council’s core activity is to help create the conditions for the generation of new knowledge, information and research, required for more evidence-based decision-making.

Studies done by the Council with its partners have revealed that research support for policy needs to be strengthened in these countries. The human and institutional capacity need to gain new skills, to be able to produce evidence-based research that can inform policy.

The Council’s work with partners in Central Asia began in 1999 with Mother and Child Health Forum (MHC), which created a working group to promote Essential National Health Research in the region. It was composed of the Deputy Ministers of Health for each country (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan), one senior official from MCH department of the Ministry of Health, key researchers from each country, and representatives from international agencies. Central Asia MCH Forum was supported by UNICEF.

This activity was complemented by a regional consultative process conducted jointly with the World Health Organization in preparation for the International Conference on Health Research for Development (Bangkok, 2000).

The report Regional Consultative Process Central and Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States summarizes recommendations for improving research for health at the country and regional levels. It also has a useful overview of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, by country. Greater detail is presented in the related country reports.

Activties

Kazakhstan: The Council has some activities and consultations with Kazakh partners beginning 2001. further work developed with the Kazakhstan School of Public Health in 2003 and 2004. A joint workplan for further activities is now being developed. Past work has revolved around Kazakhstan’s interest in supporting the development of young health researchers to implement research for health.

Tajikistan: The Council has started a new project with health sector partners: Ministry of Health, Tajikistan State Medical University and Swiss Tropical Institute. The work focuses on strengthening the national health research system by: raising awareness of the need for information to support evidence-based decisions; and documenting lessons on the reform process and stimulate and exchange of experience with other Central Asian countries.

Uzbekistan: This collaboration focused on helping partners improve research coordination and links to other regional health research activities.

Kyrgyzstan: A programme of work is being discussed.

Building skills of health research professionals’ and institutions

The Council on Health Research for Development has supported the work of its partners in Central Asia since 1999. In Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the Council’s work prioritizes capacity strengthening, research coordination and resource flows monitoring. It supports a network for exchange and learning between health sector actors in several countries.