Regional resources and interactions for evidence based health policy in east and southern Africa

The 52nd Health Ministers Conference of the East, Central and Southern African Health Community that took place from 25th to 29th October 2010 in Harare, Zimbabwe, under the theme: Moving from Knowledge to Action: Harnessing Evidence to Transform Healthcare, recognised the limited production and use of locally generated evidence to influence policy within the region, and resolved to promote use of evidence in decision making and policy formulation within the region and make more effective links with existing resources and institutions within the region for this. This report provides information to support the connections particularly between regional institutions and regional policy forums. It provides summary information from desk review, internet sites and email follow up on the 25 institutions and networks in East and Southern Africa (ESA) identified that are local to the region and that undertake health policy, strategy, and health systems work at regional level.