Building Sustainable Local Capacity for Global Health Research in West Africa

Authors

N A. Sam-Agudu, University of MarylandFollow
E Paintsil, Yale School of Medicine
M H. Aliyu, Vanderbilt University Medical Center,Follow
A Kwara, University of Florida College of Medicine
F Ogunsola, University of Lagos
Y A. Afrane, University of Ghana
C Onoka, University of NigeriaFollow
G A. Awandare, University of Ghana
G Amponsah, Ridge Regional Hospital
L J. Cornelius, University of Georgia AthensFollow
G Mendy, Healing Healthcare
R Sturke, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of HealthFollow
A Ghansah, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research
G K. Siberry, Office of the Global AIDS CoordinatorFollow
Echezona Ezeanolue, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2016

Publication Title

Annals of Global Health

Volume

82

Issue

6

First page number:

1010

Last page number:

1025

Abstract

Background Global health research in resource-limited countries has been largely sponsored and led by foreign institutions. Thus, these countries’ training capacity and productivity in global health research is limited. Local participation at all levels of global health knowledge generation promotes equitable access to evidence-based solutions. Additionally, leadership inclusive of competent local professionals promotes best outcomes for local contextualization and implementation of successful global health solutions. Among the sub-Saharan African regions, West Africa in particular lags in research infrastructure, productivity, and impact in global health research. Objective In this paper, experts discuss strategies for scaling up West Africa's participation in global health evidence generation using examples from Ghana and Nigeria. Methods We conducted an online and professional network search to identify grants awarded for global health research and research education in Ghana and Nigeria. Principal investigators, global health educators, and representatives of funding institutions were invited to add their knowledge and expertise with regard to strengthening research capacity in West Africa. Findings While there has been some progress in obtaining foreign funding, foreign institutions still dominate local research. Local research funding opportunities in the 2 countries were found to be insufficient, disjointed, poorly sustained, and inadequately publicized, indicating weak infrastructure. As a result, research training programs produce graduates who ultimately fail to launch independent investigator careers because of lack of mentoring and poor infrastructural support. Conclusions Research funding and training opportunities in Ghana and Nigeria remain inadequate. Recommendations We recommend systems-level changes in mentoring, collaboration, and funding to drive the global health research agenda in these countries. Additionally, research training programs should be evaluated not only by numbers of individuals graduated but also by numbers of independent investigators and grants funded. Through equitable collaborations, infrastructure, and mentoring, West Africa can match the rest of Africa in impactful global health research. © 2016 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Keywords

capacity-building; financial support; global health; research; western Africa

Language

English

Repository Citation

Sam-Agudu, N. A., Paintsil, E., Aliyu, M. H., Kwara, A., Ogunsola, F., Afrane, Y. A., Onoka, C., Awandare, G. A., Amponsah, G., Cornelius, L. J., Mendy, G., Sturke, R., Ghansah, A., Siberry, G. K., Ezeanolue, E. (2016). Building Sustainable Local Capacity for Global Health Research in West Africa. Annals of Global Health, 82(6), 1010-1025.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aogh.2016.10.011