 To what extent is IMCI implemented in NWP and what are the obstacles to its implementation?  What is the impact of IMCI in NWP?  What is the impact of PMTCT in NWP?   What is the impact of current infant feeding practices on child health?   What is the effect of growth monitoring and promotion?   What is the impact of life changing programs on the youth?   What are the strategies for behavioural change in HIV and AIDS?   What is the optimal nutritional requirement for clients on HAART? 

 What are the challenges in establishing poverty alleviation projects in NWP?   What is the impact of social grants on the health profile of communities in NWP?   Why are vegetable gardens not sustainable in communities in NWP regardless of the benefits shown?   What is the impact of MBFI in health facilities in NWP?   What strategies should be followed to implement and sustain MBFI in health facilities in NWP?   What is the impact of maternal death notification and audits?   Successes and challenges of integrating TB and HIV/AIDS programs?  What are the challenges of CTOP programs in health facilities?

  What are the intervention strategies regarding prevention of substance abuse?   What are auditing strategies for chronic diseases for quality improvements?   What is the prevalence of obesity in communities in NWP?   What is the relationship between behaviour change and chronic diseases?   What is the psychological impact of chronic diseases?   What are the knowledge, attitude and practices of traditional practitioners in managing chronic diseases? 

 What is the relationship between violence or crime and mental health disorders?   What is the burden of chronic diseases in NWP?   Why are teenagers committing Para-suicides and suicides?   What is the epidemiological pattern of chronic diseases?   What are the stress levels among health workers?

 What factors influence use of condoms in community x  Barriers in the implementation of INH prophylaxis protocol in NWP.]  Exploring the factors that lead to delay in the introduction of new vaccines e.g. rotarix, cervarix into the public health system in NWP.  Exploring the implementation of DOT support in NWP  Action research on integrating HIV and TB treatment at PHC level  Prevalence and determinants of XDR and MDR TB in NWP  Active Surveillance of infectious diseases in NWP  Assessing preparedness of departments in NWP for disasters.

 Effectiveness of youth programmes with regard to control of Alcohol and substance abuse, STI, Teenage pregnancy and Suicide amongst the youth in NWP  Consolidated analysis of patient satisfaction surveys in NWP.  Effect of inter departmental functioning within the NWDOH on Health care delivery  Investigating the functioning and effectiveness of Patient safety group activities on improvement of quality of care

 What were the effects of the current policy in attracting retaining staff to remote rural areas?  How are government structures influencing health sector reform  To what extent does the community particularly in influencing Health Sector Reform?  How has emphasis on PHC affected performance of hospitals  To what extend is the department working together with learning institutions to meet the supply and demand of heath professionals.  What the department does to ensure that personnel provideq uality services other than financial remuneration.

 What major factors cause low morale and absenteeism within the department and what measures are effective in addressing them.  What are the reasons for professionals to leave the dept of health for other provinces and other departments  What strategies should the department implement to retain staff  To what extend does the provincial HR facilitate efficient and effective staff recruitment  What impact does continuous training and development have on health service delivery?

 What are the coping mechanisms of teenagers that are on ART? General coping with HIV+ Coping with stigma  Is Nevirapine effective in the transmission of HIV from mother to child?  Is it necessary to differentiate treatment protocols?  What are the perceptions on early childhood feeding practices?  What are the constraints to exclusive breast feeding?  What strategies can be implemented to reduce stigma and increase disclosure in HIV+ persons in order to improve treatment?  What are the barriers to cervical screening?  What are the barriers to prevention of unplanned/teen pregnancies?  What can be done to prevent eating disorders in teenagers?  What are the coping strategies of professional health care workers?  What wellness programs are available for Health Care Workers?

 All health research initiatives, projects and/ or inputs in the North West Province should be approved and sanctioned by the North West Department of Health. Approval of research initiatives is done through the Head of Department.  All research initiatives should be submitted to the department of Health through the Directorate: Policy Planning Research Monitoring and Evaluation which will facilitate approval. 

 The research proposal/ protocol should be submitted to the department with the following documents  Ethical clearance certificate from the accredited Research Ethics Committee or a committee which has applied to be nationally accredited;  Medical Control Council (MCC) letter of approval if it is for a clinical trial;  Letter for proposal approval from the supervisor if it is for academic purposes

 A supporting letter from the supervisor to indicate if the proposal has been approved by the relevant authority within the academic institution  An ethical clearance certificate from the accredited research ethics committee where appropriate.