Submission ID 131675
| Issue/Objective | Evidence-informed decision-making is central to effective health system strengthening yet at sub-national levels, research priorities are often weakly institutionalized. In Kaduna State, health research has been donor-driven, episodic, and insufficiently aligned with state health needs, limiting its influence on policy and strategic planning. To address these challenges, an evidence synthesis was undertaken to identify gaps and integrate stakeholder perspectives to inform a coordinated, context-responsive Health Research Agenda. |
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| Methodology/Approach | A three-phase approach was employed, comprising a desk review, key informant interviews (KIIs), and a multi-stakeholder workshop to validate and prioritize research needs, reflecting plurality and partnership. Over 30 policy documents and relevant literature were reviewed to assess research gaps and focus areas. Semi-structured KIIs were conducted with thirteen purposively selected stakeholders in collaboration with the Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics. Participants represented government, academia, professional associations, research institutions, CSOs, and development partners. Qualitative data was analysed thematically and coded using Microsoft Excel, focusing on research governance, priority-setting, coordination mechanisms, capacity, funding, and evidence use. A multi-stakeholder prioritization workshop was subsequently conducted with representatives from diverse sectors to rank priority research domains and develop research questions. Within this process, the Delphi technique was used to identify and prioritize research questions within the selected domains. |
| Results | Health research in Kaduna State has been largely donor-driven, concentrating on primary health care, maternal and child health. Recent reforms, such as the One Health Plan, have shifted about 40-45% toward this area, signalling growing commitment to health systems research. Evidence gaps remain in non-communicable diseases, mental health and knowledge translation. The absence of a formal health research agenda resulted in ad-hoc priority-setting and duplication of efforts. Furthermore, structural constraints like weak coordination, limited technical capacity, inadequate/unpredictable funding, under-resourced ethics bodies and weak dissemination and knowledge translation platforms limit research use in policy and practice. Emerging political commitment, strong academic presence, and existing digital health platforms were identified as opportunities to institutionalize a more coordinated and partnership-based research system. Priority research domains identified for the next five years at the workshop are service delivery and quality of care, human resources for health, supply chain and essential medicines, health financing, disease programmes and surveillance, research evidence uptake, and governance. A multi-stakeholder prioritization process involving over 40 participants from diverse sectors such as academia and research institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, government and policymakers, healthcare providers and implementers, the private sector and research funders and research institutions across the state identified 14 broad research questions across the priority domains, of which five were prioritized for implementation over the next three years. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | This evidence synthesis identifies gaps in focus, coordination, and use of health research in Kaduna State, and highlights opportunities to strengthen health systems research and governance. A coordinated Research Agenda provides a contextually grounded pathway to align investments with state priorities, strengthen the research to policy cycle, and improve evidence use in policy and strategic planning. |
| Presenters and Affiliations | Hajara Nakkudu, MPH. Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Ruth Musa Sunama Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Dorcas Asuku Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Abolade Oyelere Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Kayode Samuel Alabi Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Ibrahim Ibrahim Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Hussena Hassan Adam Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Dr Sunday Joseph Kaduna State Ministry of Health (DPHRS) Julie Wieland, MPH. Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) |
