Science-based health innovation in Uganda: creative strategies for applying research to development
Science-based health innovation in Uganda: creative strategies for applying research to development
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DOI：
10.1186/1472-698x-10-s1-s5
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发表时间：
2010-12-01
影响因子：
3
通讯作者：
Daar, Abdallah S.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kamunyori, Sheila;Al-Bader, Sara;Daar, Abdallah S.
背景：乌干达在卫生研究方面有着悠久的历史，但仍然面临着严重的卫生问题。它最近采取了一些措施来建设科学和技术能力，如果能够培育和利用创新，这些能力可能对当地卫生产生影响。方法：采用定性案例研究方法。通过对学术文献和政策文件的审查，以及对来自整个基于科学的卫生创新系统的30人进行开放式面对面访谈，收集了数据，这些人包括政府官员、研究机构和大学的研究人员、企业家、国际捐助者和非政府组织代表。结果：乌干达有一系列影响基于科学的卫生创新的机构，取得了不同程度的成功。然而，该国仍然缺乏在所有利益攸关方之间有效协调科技创新政策的连贯机制。乌干达被列为最不发达国家，它选择豁免《与贸易有关的知识产权协定》的知识产权保护制度，包括允许平行进口和规定药品的强制许可。乌干达参与了千年科学计划（MSI），这在非洲是独一无二的。千年科学计划是一个雄心勃勃但仍处于早期阶段的项目，由世界银行和乌干达政府联合资助，目的是通过资助产学研合作来建设科学能力和鼓励创业。两所大学——Makerere和Mbarara——在卫生研究方面表现突出，尽管迄今为止技术开发和商业化还很薄弱。乌干达有几个生产低技术含量产品的孵化器，并开始转向诊断等高科技产品。其制药业已开始建立鼓励创新的伙伴关系。结论：基于科学的保健产品创新在乌干达处于早期阶段，指导其发展的政策也是如此。尽管如此，乌干达有发展STI的政治意愿，这体现在总统的个人倡议和政府通过千年科学倡议长期大力投资支持STI的意愿上。支持技术转让和公私合作的活动已经开始；这些都需要加以监测、协调和学习。在私营部门，有一些由企业家个人和南南合作推动的渐进式创新解决被忽视疾病的例子。可以从他们的经验中吸取教训，这将有助于支持乌干达的卫生创新。
Background: Uganda has a long history of health research, but still faces critical health problems. It has made a number of recent moves towards building science and technology capacity which could have an impact on local health, if innovation can be fostered and harnessed.Methods: Qualitative case study research methodology was used. Data were collected through reviews of academic literature and policy documents and through open-ended, face-to-face interviews with 30 people from across the science-based health innovation system, including government officials, researchers in research institutes and universities, entrepreneurs, international donors, and non-governmental organization representatives.Results: Uganda has a range of institutions influencing science-based health innovation, with varying degrees of success. However, the country still lacks a coherent mechanism for effectively coordinating STI policy among all the stakeholders. Classified as a least developed country, Uganda has opted for exemptions from the TRIPS intellectual property protection regime that include permitting parallel importation and providing for compulsory licenses for pharmaceuticals. Uganda is unique in Africa in taking part in the Millennium Science Initiative (MSI), an ambitious though early-stage $30m project, funded jointly by the World Bank and Government of Uganda, to build science capacity and encourage entrepreneurship through funding industry-research collaboration. Two universities - Makerere and Mbarara - stand out in terms of health research, though as yet technology development and commercialization is weak. Uganda has several incubators which are producing low-tech products, and is beginning to move into higher-tech ones like diagnostics. Its pharmaceutical industry has started to create partnerships which encourage innovation.Conclusions: Science-based health product innovation is in its early stages in Uganda, as are policies for guiding its development. Nevertheless, there is political will for the development of STI in Uganda, demonstrated through personal initiatives of the President and the government's willingness to invest heavily for the long term in support of STI through the Millennium Science Initiative. Activities to support technology transfer and private-public collaboration have been put in motion; these need to be monitored, coordinated, and learned from. In the private sector, there are examples of incremental innovation to address neglected diseases driven by entrepreneurial individuals and South-South collaboration. Lessons can be learned from their experience that will help support Ugandan health innovation.