Completing the landscape of health research in Uganda: An Evidence Gap Map (EGM)
The Evidence Synthesis Unit has spearheaded the development of an Evidence Gap Map (EGM), which aims to provide a comprehensive overview of health research in Uganda from 2012 to 2022. This activity is a critical step towards developing a national health research agenda that aligns with Uganda’s health priorities.
Uganda’s health sector faces numerous challenges, including a high burden of infectious diseases, a growing non-communicable disease burden, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure. To address these challenges, the country needs a robust health research system that generates high-quality evidence to inform policy and practice decisions.
Our EGM intervention is expected to contribute significantly to the development of a comprehensive national health research agenda for Uganda. We believe that this agenda will serve as a guide for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders in the health sector, ensuring that health research is aligned with national priorities and contributes to improving health outcomes, equity, and equality.
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Developing a comprehensive National Health Research Agenda for Uganda
ACRES embarked on developing and updating Uganda’s comprehensive, integrated, and learning health research agenda. This agenda describes evidence-informed priority areas for the next ten years, with the overall aim of contributing to efforts to improve health outcomes, equity, and equality.
Uganda’s National Development Plan III, Health Services Sector Development Program, and National Health Research Policy all emphasize the importance of using scientific evidence to inform planning, resource mobilization, and implementation.
This agenda will serve as a critical guide for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders in the health sector, ensuring that health research is aligned with national priorities and contributes to improving health outcomes, equity, and equality.
This activity was funded under the Building a culture of EIPM (B-cue) in Uganda project.
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Unlocking evidence-driven environmental action: ACRES and ERI join forces
The Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis (ACRES) and Earth & Rights Initiatives Uganda (ERI), a partner civil society, embarked on an initiative to create an Evidence Gap Map on natural resources degradation in Uganda. This tool aims to inform evidence-driven litigation and advocacy by the civil society, driving meaningful change in environmental policy and practice.
On July 24, 2024, a diverse advisory group convened in Kampala, comprising representatives from government environmental agencies and civil society organizations. This meeting refined the research question and ensured a thorough approach.
The agreed-upon research question, “What are the development impacts of natural resources degradation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)?” is guiding the ongoing tool development.
This initiative supports ACRES’ ongoing efforts to promote evidence-informed decision-making related to:
- SDG 7 (Affordable Clean Energy)
- SDG 13 (Climate Action)
