Deputy Office Director, Office of Population, Health and Nutrition, USAID/Bangladesh Miranda Beckman has said Research for Decision Makers (RDM) activity generated a prolific number of studies, papers, and briefs, and hoped this evidence proves useful to the government of Bangladesh and other health stakeholders.
“We need to have evidence-based programmes. We must measure and use the best available evidence in science to inform our decisions,” Beckman said on Tuesday marking the conclusion of an “important chapter” in evidence-based health planning and decision-making in Bangladesh as icddr,b wrapped up the “successful” RDM activity, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Initiated in May 2017, RDM has been a cornerstone in strengthening Bangladesh's health system. It has produced a variety of knowledge products, including policy briefs, technical reports, and national surveys, that have been instrumental in shaping health planning and decision-making across various sectors such as maternal and child health, nutrition, and tuberculosis, said a joint media release.
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The initiative's contributions are numerous. It has been involved in the execution of five national-level surveys, including the first Bangladesh Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Survey 2019-20.
RDM has also conducted 18 implementation research projects that have led to actionable insights in areas like adolescent health, nutrition, and family planning.
USAID's support has been key in RDM's success, enabling it to serve as an example for other low and middle-income countries striving to advance their health systems.
The initiative has been effective in implementation and has set a standard for how research can directly inform and improve health planning and decision-making governance and delivery.
RDM's influence extends to policy analysis and governance. It has contributed to various sector programmes and has been instrumental in updating key governance strategies and guidelines, including the National Newborn Monitoring Checklist and the National Guideline for the Management of Tuberculosis in Children.
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Moreover, RDM has been a catalyst for capacity building. It has empowered 2,378 participants, facilitated 8 PhDs, and supported 23 principal investigators, thereby strengthening the local capacity to design, manage, and utilise implementation research.
During the event, Dr Shams El Arifeen, Chief of Party for RDM and Senior Director at icddr,b, presented an overview of the project.
The keynote session was followed by a discussion moderated by Dr Quamrun Nahar and Dr Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman.
The session was attended by Dr Sheikh Daud Adnan, Deputy Director (Hospitals); Dr Syeda Naushin Parnini, Director, Research, Health Economics Unit (HEU); Dr Md M Islam Bulbul, Program Manager, NNS; and other key stakeholders. The discussion focused on how RDM's evidence-generating activities have shaped national health planning and decision-making.
Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, Executive Director at icddr,b attended the event as special guest and thanked USAID and the government of Bangladesh.
He also said, "We have a long history of translational research; many of our studies have been scaled up by the Government and the WHO, having an incredible impact on the lives of millions. These include population control, the tetanus toxoid vaccine, and oral rehydration salts (ORS) solution. We are committed to continuing this impactful work in the future."
Md. Humayun Kabir, former Senior Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said, “In our system, we often talk about evidence-based decision-making, but many times we ignore the evidence and continue doing what we're accustomed to.
“I have utilised icddr,b's research and strongly encourage government officials to engage with this institution for informed decision-making.”
The closing ceremony served as a platform for stakeholders to reflect on the initiative's achievements and discuss the way forward for sustaining its impact.
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As RDM concludes its journey, its legacy is bound to endure, inspiring similar initiatives that aim to transform health planning and decision-making through evidence-based research and policy-making, said the media release.