The African Health Initiative’s Role in Advancing the Use of Embedded Implementation Research for Health Systems Strengthening

Abdul Ghaffar; Livia Dal Zennaro; Nhan Tran

doi:10.9745/GHSP-D-22-00318

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TABLE.

Evolution of Embedded Implementation Research

Date	Critical Event
2009	AHI funded 5 countries to do HSS using an integrated and multistakeholder approach.
2009	Experts and stakeholders convened by Norwegian Development Agency met to address challenges in achieving Millennium Development Goals and knowledge gaps.
2010	Held Inaugural Health Systems Research symposium and established Implementation Research Platform within WHO.AHI convened senior leadership meeting to share emerging lessons.
2012	Launched WHO Strategy on Health Policy and Systems Research: Changing Mindsets.
2013	Published first AHI supplement on HSS and EIR.
2013	Implementation Research Platform released first call for implementer-led research.
2014	Launched Implementation Research and Delivery Research initiative by AHPSR, World Bank, and U.S. Agency for International Development.Launched EIR initiatives in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office and PAHO.
2015	Held joint EIR call between AHPSR, UNICEF, and Gavi.
2015	AHPSR met with Doris Duke Charitable Foundation leadership to discuss AHI Phase 2.First AHI-supported PhD students in EIR graduated.
2016	Launched Strengthening Capacity for Implementation Research initiative by AHPSR.
2017	Published AHI second supplement documenting results of EIR including research capacity building success.Funded AHI 2.0 in Mozambique, Ghana, and Ethiopia including ongoing focus on EIR approach as target for strengthening health systems and ongoing research capacity building.
2018	Launched EIR call in Pakistan on immunization by AHPSR, UNICEF, and Gavi.
2019	Launched EIR call on the Sustainable Development Goals in collaboration with PAHO and WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases.
2020	EIR identified in special supplement of Health Policy and Planning on Innovations in Implementation Research as a key innovation signaling the coming-of-age of implementation research field.
2020	Launched EIR Accelerator Project in Ethiopia, Uganda, Indonesia, and Nigeria, with AHPSR supporting Gavi programs through implementation research in each of these countries.
2021	Launched Compassionate and Respectful Health Care Services Ethiopia on health workforce and health services by AHPSR, WHO Health Workforce Department, and WHO Country Office Ethiopia.AHI grantees held final meeting in Accra, Ghana.
2022	AHPSR’s MAINSTREAM initiative embedded implementation research into Gavi’s learning strategy for its new strategic plan period (Gavi 5.0)

Abbreviations: AHI, African Health Initiative; AHPSR, Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research; EIR, embedded implementation research; HSS, health systems strengthening; PAHO, Pan American Health Organization; WHO, World Health Organization.