Deadline: 30-Sep-22

The Alliance HPSR issues calls for research proposals and bids on a regular basis targeted towards institutions from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

This call for proposals is for interdisciplinary health policy and systems research (HPSR) studies examining how interventions on digital data solutions for PHC managers in LMICs have contributed to strengthening health systems in LMICs. Proposals will focus on existing interventions and will include a co-principal investigator who is directly engaged in implementing the intervention under study. Proposals will outline appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the intended and unintended consequences of the interventions on the broader health system.

Focus

• This programme will have a specific focus: data use solutions for health managers in primary health care (PHC) contexts. Strengthening PHC systems is critical for the reduction of health inequities and the advancement of UHC, and the roles of PHC managers are crucial in helping advance these goals. Their cross-cutting roles mean that interventions aimed at health managers have systemwide effects with significance for larger proportions of the population.

Objectives

• The objectives of this programme are to:
  • Support the generation of coherent health policy and systems research knowledge on the role of digital data solutions for PHC managers in complex health systems in LMICs;
  • Stimulate learning and action on the integration of DIs in health systems among policy and decisionmakers at local and country level; and
  • Disseminate the knowledge broadly to policy- and decision-makers with the purpose of informing strategies for the integration of DIs in health systems in different LMIC contexts Proposals are invited for interdisciplinary health policy and systems research proposals linked to existing interventions on digital data solutions for PHC managers in LMICs.

The Problem

• This problem has several potential implications for health systems, including:
  • Ineffectiveness of DIs due to lack of alignment with existing health system capacities and needs. These problems range from the absence of a strategic framework or relevant laws and regulations to deficient infrastructure for the integration of DIs, to inadequate human capacity to implement and/ or benefit from DIs;
  • Deleterious impacts on health systems performance and outcomes resulting from the diversion of resources and attention towards DIs and away from other pressing priorities; and
  • Ethical concerns ranging the exacerbation of inequities to hazards to data privacy and safety.

Funding Information

• Individual research projects will be funded for up to a maximum of US$ 70 000. The research projects are expected to run for a maximum of 15 months.

Eligible Interventions

• Eligible interventions include, but are not limited to:
  • Decision support solutions for PHC managers
  • Data sharing solutions for PHC managers
  • Solutions promoting greater data accessibility and/ or transparency in managing PHC systems
  • Solutions promoting improved interoperability across different data/ information sources, in the management of PHC systems
  • Digitalization of paper-based information for the management of PHC systems.

Eligibility Criteria

• In order to apply, a research team must meet the following criteria:
  • The Principal Investigator (PI) must be a researcher based in a research institution in a low- or middle-income country.
  • Teams must be gender-balanced with women comprising at least 50% of the research team.
  • Teams must have the ability to engage directly with and co-produce the research with national or subnational health system decisionmakers. Research teams will include a Co-principal Investigator who is directly engaged in implementing the intervention under study.
  • Teams must, in their proposals, be able to demonstrate their plans for engaging with health system decision-makers.
  • The experience of researchers as reflected in the proposal as well as the CV of the PI should demonstrate capacity both in health systems and policy research as well as an interest and understanding of digital health.

Individuals not based in LMICs are not eligible to apply as principal investigators. However, organizations based in LMICs can collaborate with individuals and organizations based in high-income countries to submit a proposal based on the condition that not more than 15% of the total grant value goes to individuals or organizations based in high-income countries.

For more information, visit https://ahpsr.who.int/funding-opportunities