Too often in Africa, new health knowledge is not implemented in the community, because proposed changes do not fit local context/culture, lack local champions, or have limited available resources. Daily health care demands end up taking precedence over developing strategies to improve the system. Imported, top-down change ideas have also failed if they are context and culturally inappropriate. The need in Africa to build research capacity so local health care providers can solve local problems was recognized by African leaders and governments as an urgent problem many years ago. However, lack of training, funding opportunities, and mentors has proven to be a major obstacle in the countries needing improved research capacity the most.
Micro-finance has shown that a small infusion of capital can “prime the pump” to creative local economic productivity. Since 2008, MicroResearch has used a similar approach to train local health care professionals to find sustainable solutions to local health problems using community focused research. Through three stages:
research training workshops
coaching to prepare proposals
funding and translating projects
MicroResearch ensures small research projects will have a real impact on health. Teaching research skills across the entire health-care provider spectrum also unleashes a local culture of inquiry, to identify and solve new problems.
FUNDING SPONSORS & PArtners
IWK Health, Canada
Dalhousie University Research and Innovation, Canada
Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine, Canada
Academics Without Borders, Canada
Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program (CCHCSP)
Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS)
Rotary Clubs of Canada
Nova Scotia Health, Canada
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Healthy Child Uganda
Save the Children Uganda
MicroResearch Program Process
“A fatal pedagogic error is to throw answers, like stones, at the heads of those who have yet to ask any questions’ (attributed to Steve Biko). What the MicroResearch Workshop has done is provide the tools to ask questions important to us. Thanks and best wishes.”
FIVE YEAR SUMMARY
The article "MicroResearch: Finding sustainable local health solutions in East Africa through small research studies", authored by N.E. MacDonald, R. Bortolussi, J. Kabakyenga, S. Pemba, B. Estambale, K.H.M. Kollmann, R. Odoi Adome, and M. Appletoln Published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health outlines the the progress that the MicroResearch Project has made in the last five years. Please take the time to read the attachment below to see just how MicroResearch is progressing in East Africa.