BIRD recently instituted a lessons learnt event programme which focuses on dissemination of research findings to a larger audience. Following this new initiative, the first dissemination workshop was held with Municipal and District Directors of Health Services in Ashanti Region on 23rd September, 2016 at the conference room of the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate. The objectives of the workshop were to disseminate Phase 1 results of the Research Project on ‘Strengthening Evidence-based Practice in Local Public Health Service in Ghana’ to research participants and local health managers in Ashanti Region, and to encourage further discussion on the training needs of local health managers in evidence-based public health. The research is being implemented by a multi-disciplinary team from BIRD with Mr. Ebenezer Owusu-Addo as the project lead.
The first phase of the research which was the focus of the dissemination workshop aimed to examine the level at which evidence is used in public health service in Ghana. The key finding of the study was that public health managers currently prioritise local evidence in the form of data and personal experiences, as against research evidence in the decision-making process. The study has revealed that there is an urgent need for pre-service and in-service training programmes that build and maintain common skill sets and language among local public health practitioners in Ghana to accomplish evidence-based public health (EBPH) goals.
The workshop helped participants to gain knowledge in the principles of evidence-based public health (EBPH) and how research evidence can be used across the three levels of health policy decision-making process: prioritisation, planning and implementation. Following the dissemination workshop, the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate has expressed keen interest in collaborating with BIRD to strengthen the capacity of Municipal and District Directors in the region in EBPH.
Read more from: http://www.ghananewsagency.org/health/health-policies-must-be-underpinned-by-research-bird--108408
Detail findings of the research from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2016.1182621