A good investment and long term commitment

Why invest in health research, or in national health research systems, in the face of extreme poverty? This question is serious, well meant and difficult to answer. Indeed, what does one do when faced with an averse political, social, economic and physical environment in which mortality is exceedingly high? Is ‘research for health’ a priority, and does it lead to development?

S&T – the motor of true development

Former World Bank President, Paul Wolfowitz, when asked to address this question at a World Bank meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation in Development, gave four reasons why investment in Science Technology and Innovation  is crucial:

• The major ingredient in poverty reduction, growth and – implicitly – health gains, comes from investments in education including up to tertiary level. The success of several Asian countries illustrates this fact.
• Applied science is an enabler for low and middle income countries to address their problems and capitalise on potentials that are overlooked by ‘global priorities’;
• Investments in research and innovation allow countries to ‘leapfrog’ into the future; 
•  Successful science, technology and innovation are a magnet for talent, helping reverse the ‘brain drain’.

Long term committment

One of the most difficult aspects of development is the need for a long-term commitment.

While sympathetic to this perspective, donors and research sponsors, in practice,  cannot usually guarantee a long term commitment, due to internal economic and political changes – and factors such as ‘donor fatigue’. Funding an ‘enabling organisation’, with a clear long-term view gives donors a mechanism to indirectly commit to a longer term development agenda.

Similarly, the increasing pressure on staffing and delivering on goals in donor agencies means that they cannot be equipped with specialists in each specific sector and for country they support.

Helping donors meet long-term commitments

A specialist organisation helps provide insight and continuity to support these investments over the long term.

An international NGO such as COHRED is well positioned to facilitate communication and learning across countries, regions, and continents – creating positive pressure for change, and providing support for individuals and institutions who are engaged in making research systems work in their own country.

While fast action and urgent interventions are essential to solve some problems, it is equally important to have a balanced view of development needs and develop the ability to pursue long-term development objectives. Supporting COHRED in its work to support low and middle income countries that are intent on developing their research and innovation capacity, should be an essential consideration for any agency that shares the vision that ‘research for health’ is a core ingredient of sustainable development – even while the effects will emerge progressively over the years.