Enabling Dynamic Partnerships through Joint Degrees between Low- and High-Income Countries for Capacity Development in Global Health Research: Experience from the Karolinska Institutet/Makerere University Partnership

Sewankambo, Nelson; Tumwine, James; Tomson, Göran; Obua, Celestino; Bwanga, Freddie; Waiswa, Peter; Katabira, Elly; Akuffo, Hannah; Persson, Kristina; Peterson, Stefan

doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001784

Cited by 59 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…The sustained partnership between the Makerere University Kampala SPH and the Karolinska Institutet (KI), Sweden illustrates a relationship that enables post-graduate education and research [125]. In their joint PhD ‘sandwich’ program, students from Makerere University, who are based primarily in their home country for research, travel to KI for some coursework and supervision support.…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

Schools of public health in low and middle-income countries: an imperative investment for improving the health of populations?

Rabbani

Shipton

White³

et al. 2016

BMC Public Health

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BackgroundPublic health has multicultural origins. By the close of the nineteenth century, Schools of Public Health (SPHs) began to emerge in western countries in response to major contemporary public health challenges. The Flexner Report (1910) emphasized the centrality of preventive medicine, sanitation, and public health measures in health professional education. The Alma Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care (PHC) in 1978 was a critical milestone, especially for low and middle-income countries (LMICs), conceptualizing a close working relationship between PHC and public health measures. The Commission on Social Determinants of Health (2005–2008) strengthened the case for SPHs in LMICs as key stakeholders in efforts to reduce global health inequities. This scoping review groups text into public health challenges faced by LMICs and the role of SPHs in addressing these challenges.Main textThe challenges faced by LMICs include rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, unfair terms of global trade, limited capacity for equitable growth, mass displacements associated with conflicts and natural disasters, and universal health coverage. Poor governance and externally imposed donor policies and agendas, further strain the fragile health systems of LMICs faced with epidemiological transition. Moreover barriers to education and research imposed by limited resources, political and economic instability, and unbalanced partnerships additionally aggravate the crisis. To address these contextual challenges effectively, SPHs are offering broad based health professional education, conducting multidisciplinary population based research and fostering collaborative partnerships. SPHs are also looked upon as the key drivers to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).ConclusionSPHs in LMICs can contribute to overcoming several public health challenges being faced by LMICs, including achieving SDGs. Most importantly they can develop cadres of competent and well-motivated public health professionals: educators, practitioners and researchers who ask questions that address fundamental health determinants, seek solutions as agents of change within their mandates, provide specific services and serve as advocates for multilevel partnerships. Funding support, human resources, and agency are unfortunately often limited or curtailed in LMICs, and this requires constructive collaboration between LMICs and counterpart institutions from high income countries.

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Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

Schools of public health in low and middle-income countries: an imperative investment for improving the health of populations?

Rabbani

Shipton

White³

et al. 2016

BMC Public Health

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“…Nonetheless, research agendas were in most cases largely developed by Northern collaborators and left to Southern collaborators to execute. The work was often undertaken as part of advanced degree training [5,9–12]. Collaborations between North and South were usually seen as an association in which the Southern partner was viewed as the ‘receiver’ and the Northern partner as the ‘giver’.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are a few existing outstanding examples of mutually beneficial North–South research collaborations, for example the Ghanaian–Dutch partnership, the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), the Rwanda Human Resources for Health Program, The Global Health Service Partnership, and the United States (US) President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)-supported Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) that we will examine in this manuscript [7–9,11,12]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI), a collaborative paradigm for institutional and human resources capacity building between high- and low- and middle-income countries: the Mozambique experience

Noormahomed

Carrilho

Ismail

et al. 2017

Global Health Action

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Background: Collaborations among researchers based in lower and middle income countries (LMICs) and high income countries (HICs) have made major discoveries related to diseases disproportionately affecting LMICs and have been vital to the development of research communities in LMICs. Such collaborations have generally been scientifically and structurally driven by HICs. Objectives: In this report we outline a paradigm shift in collaboration, exemplified by the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI), in which the formulation of priorities and administrative infrastructure reside in the LMIC. Methods: This descriptive report outlines the critical features of the MEPI partnership. Results: In the MEPI, LMIC program partners translate broad program goals and define metrics into priorities that are tailored to local conditions. Program funds flow to a LMIC-based leadership group that contracts with peers from HICs to provide technical and scientific advice and consultation in a 'reverse funds flow' model. Emphasis is also placed on strengthening administrative capacity within LMIC institutions. A rigorous monitoring and evaluation process modifies program priorities on the basis of evolving opportunities to maximize program impact. Conclusions: Vesting LMIC partners with the responsibility for program leadership, and building administrative and fiscal capacity in LMIC institutions substantially enhances program relevance, impact and sustainability.

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“…Scarce research funding and inadequate training opportunities have been cited as some of the challenges affecting this imbalance 7,12 . Nevertheless, collaborative training programs between HICs and LMICs have been successfully implemented; one such example is a partnership between Makerere University and the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden which produced 44 Ph.D. graduates and offshoot collaborations 13 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The collaborative African genomics network training program: a trainee perspective on training the next generation of African scientists

Mlotshwa

Mwesigwa

Mboowa

et al. 2017

Genetics in Medicine

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Purpose The Collaborative African Genomics Network (CAfGEN) aims to establish sustainable genomics research programs in Botswana and Uganda through long-term training of Ph.D. students from these countries at Baylor College of Medicine. Here we present an overview of the CAfGEN Ph.D. training program alongside trainees’ perspectives on their involvement. Background Historically, collaborations between High Income Countries (HICs) and Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), or North-South collaborations, have been criticized for the lack of a mutually beneficial distribution of resources and research findings, often undermining LMICs. CAfGEN purposes to address this imbalance in the genomics field through a program of technology and expertise transfer to the participating LMICs. Methods An overview of the training program is presented. Trainees from the CAfGEN project summarized their experiences, looking specifically at the training model, benefits of the program, challenges encountered relating to the cultural transition, and program outcomes after the first two years. Conclusion Collaborative training programs like CAfGEN will not only help establish sustainable long-term research initiatives in LMICs, but foster stronger North-South and South-South networks. The CAfGEN model offers a framework for the development of training programs aimed at genomics education for those for whom genomics is not their “first language.”

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Enabling Dynamic Partnerships through Joint Degrees between Low- and High-Income Countries for Capacity Development in Global Health Research: Experience from the Karolinska Institutet/Makerere University Partnership

Cited by 59 publications

References 17 publications

Schools of public health in low and middle-income countries: an imperative investment for improving the health of populations?

Schools of public health in low and middle-income countries: an imperative investment for improving the health of populations?

The Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI), a collaborative paradigm for institutional and human resources capacity building between high- and low- and middle-income countries: the Mozambique experience

The collaborative African genomics network training program: a trainee perspective on training the next generation of African scientists

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