A vision to strengthen resources and capacity of the Palestinian health research system: a qualitative assessment

Mohammed AlKhaldi, Hamza Meghari, Abdulsalam Alkaiyat, Yehia Abed, Constanze Pfeiffer, Mohammad Marie, Saleem Haj-Yahia, Hamza Meghari, Hasan Abu Obaid, Yousef Aljeesh, Marcel Tanner
2019 Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal  
The World Health Organization has proposed a global strategy to build a robust Health Research System Resources and Infrastructural Capacity (HRSRIC). Despite the growing research productivity, HRSRIC in Palestine has rarely been investigated. To analyse perceptions of health research system performers to understand the status of HRSRIC, identify its gaps, and propose policy solutions to strengthen HRSRIC. This qualitative study targeted 3 health sectors: government, academia, and local and
more » ... rnational organizations. Fifty-two in-depth interviews and 6 focus group discussions were conducted with key informants who were selected purposively. Data were analysed using MAXQDA 12. Despite the availability of competent personnel, the overall HRSRIC, such as human and financial resources, and facilities, forms a central challenge. HR financing is limited, unsustainable, and flows from external and individual sources. The public and private funds are largely in shortage with resources misallocation and donors' conditionality. HR quality is moderate while knowledge transfer and translation are not well conceptualized and inappropriately performed. Lack of governance, coordination, HRSRIC strategy, resource allocation, systematic and reliable data, evidence-informed culture, and environmental impacts are the main common gaps. The overall status of HRSRIC in Palestine is still lacking and major challenges persist where the pace of strengthening efforts is steady. There is an emphasis that strengthening HRSRIC is an imperative step and real investment opportunity for building a successful health research system. Political commitment, consolidated leadership structure, operational capacity building strengthening strategy, resources mobilization, and sovereignty are key requirements.
doi:10.26719/emhj.19.096 pmid:33103754 fatcat:v3pkej5csbb5fp2ek4ct7tvfz4