Thank you Richard for sharing your observations on this and previous webinars. I encourage others to do likewise, and we are especially interested to hear your personal reflections.
Reading the notes on this webinar, it seems there are a number of drivers here to successful research communication. First, it is relevant that WHO provides an enabling framework for synthesis and sharing of research at country level, through this new programme of Country Insights. The Insights provide a template which makes it both easier for countries to contribute, and provides for consistency and rigour. Those who are responsible for developing each Insight (policymakers at ministry of health? public health professionals?) will need to tap into their public health and research academic community for the relevant evidence, thereby creating a "pull" effect on research evidence. Furthermore it might be expected that this pull effect would favour secondary research and research from multiple studies rather than single primary studies, which might be expected to promote evidence-informed policy rather than policy driven by single studies. There are implications for communicators of primary and secondary research.
Perhaps it is more important to provide frameworks and incentives for policymakers to collect and share evidence (pull) rather than to focus on the ability of researchers to make their research visible? Indeed the two can be complementary.
Best wishes, Neil
Joint Coordinator, HIFA Communicating health research
https://www.hifa.org/projects/new-effective-communication-health-researc...
Neil Pakenham-Walsh, Global Coordinator HIFA, www.hifa.org neil@hifa.org
Working in official relations with WHO
