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Scientific Research on Healthcare Technology Overall Programme ObjectiveThe overall objective of the programme is to contribute to improved healthcare delivery and access in Africa by improving the quality of science and technology (S&T) policy through the generation and dissemination of relevant knowledge. This objective expects to contribute to the UNMDGs numbers four, six and eight.The programme StrategiesThe programme follows two basic strategies to realize its purpose. The first and overall strategy is to strengthen capacity at two different levels: the institutional development or capacity to both actively participate in policy debates at national, regional and local levels by building and enhancing the knowledge of the relevant actors, and; the capability development of policy makers, implementers and researchers to integrate healthcare technology policy into various policies and procedures for the efficient management of healthcare systems. The second strategy is to examine individual and institutional behavioural issues with regards to HIV/AIDS and malaria.In Africa, the levels of scientific research on healthcare technology policy are limited and mostly ad-hoc. They are driven by the on-the-spot needs and hence not generally integrated into the health delivery mainframe. As always, technology is taken as given and the appropriate framework taken for granted. The ATPS Programme on strengthening Health Technology Policy in Africa interrogates this default mode.Understandably, many barriers also constrain efforts to develop or evaluate, from an African perspective, the existing and often imported health technologies. African countries do not systematically evaluate new health technology, with the exception of vaccines and drugs. Some of these barriers can be found in history.For a long time, Africa's access to foreign technology has been constrained by varied factors, such as scientific uncertainties, concerns over intellectual property rights, high product development costs of idiosyncratic product varieties, increased litigation over alleged effects of new products, restricted market size, non-profitability resulting from pressures to reduce prices and, embedded disincentives in entering Africa's market.Notwithstanding these numerous and well known constraints, very little by way of policy actions, has been done to address or manage these constraints. As is often the case, a piecemeal rather than an integrated policy framework has characterized the manner of approach.Part of the challenge in the design of health technology policy in Africa lies in developing ways of encouraging the creation of new technologies, on the one hand, while at the same time exercising an enlightened control over the diffusion and utilization of technology on the other.The pursuit of these somewhat contradictory objectives requires a delicate balance between, national health needs that require the acquisition of technology, and the need for a rational development plan for the healthcare system, that is based on the principles of optimizing the use of existing technologies in the country.In addition, health technology policy for Africa can be used to address equity in the distribution of essential health technology among different regions within a country, and more importantly between urban and rural areas. Preliminary evidence suggests that in most of Africa the distribution of healthcare technologies is overwhelmingly urban-biased.Yet, the quality of healthcare, to some extent, is linked to the sophistication of technologies used in delivering that care. The concept of development of regional or national technology policy to guide rational utilization of technology in healthcare is supported internationally, by World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank, and other international donors.An appropriate health technology policy should go beyond hardware issues and include systems and institutional issues and knowledge acquisition and transfer concerns. The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) proposes to examine these issues holistically. |
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Scientific Research on Healthcare Technology