Abstract
In Nigeria, malaria, schistosomiasis and lymphatic filariasis are among infectious diseases of poverty (IDP) with severe health burden and require effective policy strategies for their control. In this study, we investigated the value of policy brief and policy dialogue as excellent policymaking mechanisms that enable policymakers to adapt effective evidence informed policy for IDP control. A policy brief was developed on the control of malaria, schistosomiasis and lymphatic filariasis and subjected to deliberations in a one-day multi-stakeholder policy dialogue held in Ebonyi State Nigeria. A modified cross sectional intervention study design was used in this investigation. Structured pre-tested questionnaires were used to evaluate the policy brief document and policy dialogue process at the end of the policy dialogue. Forty-seven policymakers participated in the dialogue. An analysis of the response on the policy brief regarding context, different features of the problem; policy options and key implementation considerations indicated the mean ratings (MNRs) mostly ranged from 6.40-6.85 on 7 point scale. The over-all assessment of the policy brief had MNR at 6.54. The analysis of the response on the policy dialogue regarding the level of priority of policy issue, opportunity to discuss different features of the problem and options for addressing the problem, and the MNRs mostly ranged from 6.50-6.82. The overall assessment of the policy dialogue had MNR at 6.72. Policy dialogues can allow research evidence to be considered together with views, experiences and tacit knowledge of policymakers and can enhance evidence-to-policy link.
Highlights
We present the outcome of a multi-stakeholder policy dialogue in Nigeria as designed to promoting evidence to policy link on the control of infectious diseases of poverty in the country
The profile of participants who responded to the questionnaire at the policy dialogue is presented in Table 2. 41.5% were female and majority of the participants (58.5%) were 45 yrs. old and above. 17.1% were from the Ministry of Health, with up to 48.8% of the participants having direct influence on the policymaking process
An analysis of the response on the policy brief regarding context for the issue being addressed; different features of the problem; options for addressing the problem based on synthesized research evidence; and description of key implementation considerations among others indicated the mean ratings (MNRs) mostly ranged from 6.406.85 on 7point scale (Table 4)
Summary
Infectious diseases of poverty (IDP) are significant agents in the appalling poverty afflicting so much of the world.1 “Their impact is felt in massive loss of life and in high-levels of morbidity and the accompanying impact on families, communities and weak and under-resourced health systems in low and middle-income countries”.1According to the Global Health Observatory Data Repository of WHO, infectious (including parasitic) diseases were together responsible for the death of more than 8.7 million people worldwide in 2008.2 In 2010, the global deaths from malaria rose to 1.17 million and in the same year mortality from neglected tropical diseases rose to 152,000.3-5 there is a global decline in the burden of some of the IDP in areas where control strategies have been deployed efficiently.[5,6,7,8] In the 2014 World Malaria Report,[8] WHO estimated that malaria deaths ranged 367 000–755 000 worldwide, with 90% of the global total, occurring in the African Region and up to 78% of malaria deaths occurring among children aged under 5 years. “Their impact is felt in massive loss of life and in high-levels of morbidity and the accompanying impact on families, communities and weak and under-resourced health systems in low and middle-income countries”.1According to the Global Health Observatory Data Repository of WHO, infectious (including parasitic) diseases were together responsible for the death of more than 8.7 million people worldwide in 2008.2 In 2010, the global deaths from malaria rose to 1.17 million and in the same year mortality from neglected tropical diseases rose to 152,000.3-5 there is a global decline in the burden of some of the IDP in areas where control strategies have been deployed efficiently.[5,6,7,8] In the 2014 World Malaria Report,[8] WHO estimated that malaria deaths ranged 367 000–755 000 worldwide, with 90% of the global total, occurring in the African Region and up to 78% of malaria deaths occurring among children aged under 5 years. Conclusion: Policy dialogues can allow research evidence to be considered together with views, experiences and tacit knowledge of policymakers and can enhance evidence-to-policy link
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