Health Research Capacity Strengthening Initiative National Commission for Science & Technology Health Research Capacity Strengthening Initiative Dr Mathildah Chithila Programme Manager

Introduction HRCSI is a programme implemented by NCST Five year programme Funded by Wellcome Trust and DFID

NCST Mandate To advise Government & other Stakeholders on all Science and Technology Matters in order to achieve Science & Technology led Development

Key Programs in NCST PROGRAM FUNDING Health Research Capacity Strengthening Initiative (HRCSI) DFID/WT Biotechnology and Biosafety USAID/PBS Traditional Medicine Research (TRAMED) Programme NAC Ethanol-driven Vehicle Research Programme (EDVR) Malawi Government/ETHCO/Press Cane Sustainable Development Network Program (SDNP) UNDP/Revenue National Schools Science Fair Malawi Government/Kamuzu Academy Secondary Schools Science Competition Malawi Government/Arkay Plastics Women in Science and Technology Network (WISTNET) Malawi Government

HRCSI Mission To strengthen health research capacity and empower researchers to collaborate effectively within and across institutions through funding opportunities in Malawi

Governance of HRCSI NCST Board oversight over implementation and financial management Multidisciplinary Health Research Committee (MHRC) review of applications and making funding recommendation to the Board

HRCSI KEY OUTPUTS Promotion of health research in Malawi Enhanced institutional capacity for high quality multi-disciplinary health research Promoting use of research in formulating of national health policies and programmes Enhancing dissemination of scientific knowledge in Malawi Strengthening regulation and coordination of the national research environment

Research Grants: Multidisc., Senior & Junior HRCSI SCHEMES HRCSI Grant Schemes Research Grants: Multidisc., Senior & Junior internships Training Fellowships Institutional Grants Undergraduate grants

Other initiatives Research priority setting Co-funding of research dissemination conferences Bio-ethics training

Achievements Training fellowships HRCSI has awarded: 6 PhD and 31 MSc awardees. 8 of the MSc students have completed studies and resumed work in Malawi. Health research career development BSc to MSc MSc to PhDs Health research career

Achievements Research grants Capacity building through research grants 2 pursuing PhD degrees through MaRCH study 4 doing Msc degrees through a TB Health Education Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial in Ntcheu District

Achievements Dissemination of research results Financially supported Research Dissemination Conferences CoM, Poly, NCST and local researchers Research papers presented at various national and international conferences by HRCSI grantees Undergraduate student research grant Training fellowship awardees Research grant recipients Publications emerging from both research grant recipients and training fellowship awardees

Achievements Undergraduate Research Grants 397 undergraduate students awarded grants Further training opportunities for HRCSI funded undergraduate students Increased research interest among undergraduate students and lecturers in constituent colleges of the university of Malawi

Achievements to date Health research priority setting HRCSI facilitated development of the National Health Research Agenda. NHRA now a policy document that will guide research priorities in Malawi for the period 2012-2016.

Achievements Programme level collaboration and partnerships COHRED and HRCSI: enhancement of health research information systems CNHR and HRCSI : information sharing on lessons learnt HRCSI and IDRC: technical assistance on knowledge management HRCSI and MoH: NHRA development HRCSI and CoM: bioethics training HRCSI and PwC: grant systems strengthening

Partnerships and collaboration at Project level PI Research Project Partnerships and purpose Dr F Lampiao (CoM) in vitro and in vivo investigation of medicinal herbs that could be used as a reversible male contraception. Stellenbosch University, South Africa: technical support, laboratory supplies Dr P Nyasulu (Wits) Effectiveness of Health Education and Awareness Model on early TB diagnosis in resource-limited settings: Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial MoH- Ntcheu District Health Office: Involvement of health personnel in health centres, hospitals and communities; CHSU-TB Control Programme on programme coordination

Partnerships at Project level PI Research Project Partnerships and purpose Dr K Phiri (CoM) Malaria rebound in cotrimoxazole prophylactic HIV exposed children Queen Elizabeth Hospital on DNA testing Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine -mentorship; SACORE PhD funding for a co-investigator; Zomba Central Hospital – Project host

ENHANCING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY IN MALAWI Contact the NCST/HRCSI… Website: www.ncst.mw Telephone: 01 774 475 Email: hrcsi@ncst.mw