According to World Bank data, one-third of low-income economies are francophone countries located in Africa. Many have weak health systems with persistent challenges to health system quality, equity, and a continuing high burden of communicable and neonatal diseases. Several are considered fragile, vulnerable and conflict-affected.
Francophone African researchers remain under-represented in the generation of health policy and systems research. Increased opportunities to strengthen capacities of local academic and research institutions to train and undertake health policy and systems research are needed.
The Alliance’s programme, Capacité de recherche en systèmes et politiques de santé en Afrique francophone (CRESPA), aims to do just that. Supporting a cohort of mid-level faculty fellows based at institutions in francophone African countries, its objective is to strengthen capacities for training and undertaking health policy and systems research. In an earlier phase, the Alliance worked closely with a mentor institution, le laboratoire d’études et de recherche sur les dynamiques sociales et le developpement local (LASDEL) to develop a programme of HPSR training and mentorship for fellows. In this current phase, eligible fellows were invited to submit proposals to develop HPSR short-course training at their own institutions, and conduct their own research, while receiving further training on HPSR methods and competencies from the Alliance. The project bridges fellows’ individual capacities to the institutional level by ensuring cross-departmental and senior leadership involvement to integrate newly adapted HPSR curricula into the institutions’ ongoing teaching and training.
Six fellows were successful:
| Name | Institution | Focus topic |
| Cynthia Bailly | Université Alassane Ouattara, Cote d’Ivoire | Practices and perceptions related to community enrolment in national health insurance scheme in Bouaké |
| Ornheilia Zounon | Institut pour la gouvernance démocratique/ Université d’Abomey, Benin | Access to sexual and reproductive health devices for mentally ill adolescents in urban settings in Benin |
| Mayipo Gaston Djoré Torouka | Université de Lomé, Togo | Assessing contracting policies for rationalizing management of public sector health centres in Togo |
| Léticia Sakana | Institut National de Santé Publique, Burkina Faso | Health system factors for non-retention of mothers in health services for the follow up of their children (PMTCT) |
| Boureima Dourhamane | Tahoua Medical Health Centre, Niger | Obstetrical and neonatal referral and counter-referral care and experiences of the Tahoua Medical Health Centre |
| Boukaré Congo | Institut Africain de Santé Publique, Burkina Faso | -- |
The programme is also making links to existing regional networks and policy entities. It is expected that CRESPA will result in an increased number of regional institutions providing HPSR training, and generate new, policy-relevant knowledge through the fellows’ research.
Meet the six fellows and hear their motivations in this short video.