Developing an evaluation tool for health research in Ghana

Governments and external agencies in developing countries are increasingly identifying ‘capacity building’ as a goal of health research. Management at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Ghana identified capacity building in health research as essential if the school was to develop into a regional centre of excellence. How was an evidence-based evaluation tool developed for KATH?

In the context of healthresearch, the goal of capacity building is to improve ability to carry outresearch, use the results effectively and promote demand for research. Ifhealth is to be improved and poverty reduced in developing countries, the needfor the international community to make a quantum leap in capacity building shouldbe prioritised. For this to happen, an evidence-based tool is urgently neededto identify whether the required infrastructure exists in a given setting. Itis also needed for underpinning the design and evaluation of capacity buildingprogrammes in health research.

This study by the LiverpoolSchool of Tropical Medicine and KATH details the development and use of such atool.  An analysis of published modelsand effective capacity building principles was followed by structuredreflection and action on the part of the stakeholders at KATH in Kumasi, Ghana.The aim was to produce a tool that could guide the design, implementation andevaluation of capacity building in health research programmes.

The tool enabled KATH to establishits own priorities, take control over local capacity building and evaluateprogress in capacity building from its own perspective. The following lessonswere learnt.

• Theevaluation tool allowed hospital managers and researchers to work together to improveresearch capacity at KATH, set standards to monitor progress, and identify andfill gaps in research infrastructure.
• Thesuccess of the process for developing the tool confirms the importance of theunderlying generic principles of effective capacity building.
• Theprocess included using a phased approach, identifying and strengtheningexisting processes and building up local resources, including formalisingpeer-support meetings. It is a good example of a problem-solving partnershipbuilt on trust, long-term commitment and shared responsibilities.
• Theresearchers’ motivation, and the strong leadership and commitment of KATHmanagers were important in the success of the project.
• Motivationand commitment is promoted by allowing all stakeholders to participate in thedesign of evaluation indicators.

The evaluation tool successfullyused principles of effective capacity building not specific to the healthsector. However, the report recommends that the following.

• The tool should be flexible enough to allow for changes in thelocal setting and in the needs of the institution (the researchers plan tore-evaluate the tool within five years).
• The framework used by the tool had all the elements of a researchprocess, such as problem- identification and priority setting. However,the specific components used in producing the tool would need to be adapted tofit the specific requirements of other institutions.
• Thetool was developed for health research at KATH, so whether it can be valuablein other contexts must be assessed.