I cannot believe that two-month internship at the World Health Organization (WHO) is going to end soon. This is truly a wonderful and unforgettable experience for me as a future global health researcher. I met a group of talented interns who have the same passion for global health and are willing to dedicate their entire lives to bridging the gaps between developing and developed world in public health. I was also lucky to work with my amazing supervisor Islene Araujo de Carvalho, who leads me to the evidence-based policy-making world by showing me how it works in the field.

The department I was interning in is Age and Life Course and our focus is to create an ageing-friendly world where every elder can enjoy a healthy ageing life. I primarily worked on the Knowledge Translation on Ageing and Health (KT) project, of which the aim is to facilitate the development of evidence-based policy responses to ageing globally. China is one of the two piloted countries of KT project given its rapid ageing situation and the availability of data from the WHO Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (a nationally representative sample comprised of eight provinces on older people’s health).

Initiated in November, 2013, the KT China project aims to facilitate evidence-informed policies and priorities for elderly health and establish a multi-sector collaboration mechanism for elderly health efforts to improve health status of the elderly in China. Led by China National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) and WHO Country Office in China, the project consists of four major steps to close the gap between research and policy-making on ageing: 1) identify priority problems on ageing in China; 2) synthesize and package evidence on interventions; 3) engage local policy-makers and experts for a national policy dialogue and policy briefs and 4) implement policy-directed interventions. The China project was on the second stage and most of my work was to help coordinate the project partners and prepare for the policy briefs.

Evidence-based policy-making is definitely a new idea in China and the traditional way of policy-making depends on experts’ opinions instead of research evidence. As a loyal supporter of the evidence-based policy-making, I am excited to witness the change and be given the opportunity to foster its happening. While I was working on synthesizing the evidence, however, I did have a few concerns towards the evidence: 1) Most of the high-quality evidence, typically randomized control trails, are from high income countries rather than developing countries where the interventions are going to be implemented in; 2) Some systematic reviews find that the evidences available, for example in long-term care, are pretty weak and limited. Bad-quality evidences will surely mislead policy-makers and result in unimaginable consequences to the society. There is a need for well-designed high-quality researches whose results can boost the policy development, especially in developing countries where the research capacity is a huge issue. How to help build the research capacity should be another import area to work on. Further, personally I think as a policy-maker he or she should be able to distinguish good evidences from under-qualified ones. Having a research background is more than necessary for policy-makers, which, however, is often not the case in countries where evidence-based policy-making is novel. 

It involves system thinking in fostering evidence-based policy-making in developing countries. Neither building evidence pool nor research capacity alone can create an enabling environment for its development. Seven elements, as the WHO framework has highlighted, are essential to formulate and influence evidence-based policy-making. These elements include: “1) Context looks at whether ageing is included in current policy agendas and if the health system values the use of research to inform policy-making; 2) Linkage and Exchange Efforts examine the relationships needed to enable the use of evidence; 3) Knowledge Creation looks at the opportunities and existing capacity to conduct relevant research in the local context; 4) Push Efforts assesses whether the information is pushed to different user groups in appropriate formats; 5) Pull Efforts are the efforts of policy-makers to seek and use research on ageing and health; 6) Facilitating Pull Efforts relates to systems that enable access to relevant research in ageing and health: for example, technical infrastructure, ‘one-stop websites’ and unrestricted access to online resources and journals providing research evidence on ageing and health; 7) Evaluation Efforts assess whether health systems allocate resources and funding to monitor implementation and evaluate the impact of evidence informed decision making in ageing and health.” (Cited from the WHO Ageing and Life Course internal working paper)

It does take time and efforts to achieve such an enabling environment for evidence-based policy making and hopefully I can be part of it to make it happen in China. 

Do you have an idea that you think could change the world?  Are you looking for mentorship and cash to help you bring your innovation to developing countries?  Do you want to meet with other student social entrepreneurs and innovators from across the globe?

The TechCon 2014 Innovation Marketplace showcases the concepts, innovations, and research of young innovators focused on international development. The Innovation Marketplace will take place on Monday, November 10th on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, as an integral part of USAID's Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN) TechCon 2014 agenda.

Cash  and in-kind awards will be made to the top innovators and researchers. This is an excellent opportunity to get exposure for you and your idea, build support for your project, receive technical feedback, and to practice your pitching skills.
Projects can be submitted to one of three categories:

• Innovation- your device, approach, or system is ready to go in the field!
• Research- wow, what you have just figured out is incredibly interesting, important, and changes everything!
• Concept- you have the next great idea and have begun working on it!

All applications, including all supporting documents and links to required multimedia files, must be submitted to SEAD by 
Monday, September 22nd. The SEAD team will evaluate all applications for completion and merit. The top ranked applications will then be submitted to USAID for final review and selection of Innovation Marketplace participants. SEAD will have a limited number of travel grants available to participants. 

View the documents below for submission requirements and how sell your idea through multimedia:

Throughout the summer, SEAD interns have been sharing with us stories and experiences from their summer internships.  Today's post comes to us from Divya Giyanani, who interned with USAID in the Global Development Lab.  The Global Development Lab "brings together a diverse set of partners to discover, test, and scale breakthrough solutions to achieve... the end of extreme poverty by 2030."

A wicked problem is like a tangled ball of yarn.  Each piece of the yarn that you pull can have positive and/or negative effects on the rest of this tangled ball; while some implications are expected and accounted for, others are unexpected and sometimes even unknown until much too late.  Thus, it is important to exercise immense amounts of caution when dealing with a tangled ball of yarn…or a wicked problem, if I might end my analogy here.

International development is one such wicked problem, and I would argue that it is likely one of the most significant. Between malnutrition and abject poverty, low literacy and inadequate access to basic healthcare, the challenges facing developing areas of the world (not excluding those in our own backyard) are vast, urgent, and complex. And with increasing globalization, the landscape of international development is shifting dramatically; public and private organizations as well as individual philanthropists are entering the field in droves to address these challenges.  As such, the methods and strategies once used are becoming increasingly obsolete. 

In an effort to address these challenges, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) recently launched the Global Development Lab with a role of discovering, testing, and scaling breakthrough development innovations to find solutions to some of the most critical global issues.

As a summer intern with the Lab, I work in the Center for Global Solutions to build platforms and tools around adoption at scale, focusing specifically on scaling adoption of drought-tolerant maize in sub-Saharan Africa.  And if I could describe my experiences thus far, I could, at best, sum it up to be a whirlwind of intense challenge and thrilling opportunity.

During my past month here at USAID, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with various teams across the Lab to conduct value chain analyses and market studies, in order to under the industry as a whole. I have had the opportunity (and the challenge) to think widely, critically, and extensively, and I have been asked to consider the unconventional…then to take it a step further.  I have had the opportunity to work with some of the greatest minds in development, and the opportunity (along with the encouragement) to try, fail, and then try again.

My past month here at USAID has taught me much more than I could ever hope to learn in a classroom.  It has reinforced the idea that development work is hard, that development work is complicated, frustrating, and messy.  But if development work were not difficult, would it even exist?  This work is complicated, frustrating, and messy, but it is also fascinating, enriching, and ever so important. 

As old methods and strategies of development work become obsolete, the Lab seeks to find new ideas, new innovations, and new strategies.  In essence, it’s trying to change the way we do development. And I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it.

We think YOU could uncover a Blind Spot!

Blind Spot: an overlooked challenge in international development that can be solved using science, technology, innovation, and strategic partnerships.

The Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator at Duke (SEAD) invites you to enter the Blind Spots Essay Contest today for a chance to win recognition and a cash prize.  Deadline October 1.  Sponsored by USAID’s Global Development Lab, of which Duke University is a part, and Big Ideas @ Berkeley.  This contest is open to all Duke-affiliated students and researchers.

Details:
USAID and Big Ideas@Berkeley want the help of students and researchers to uncover and analyze the “blind spots” in international development. Through your development and field experience, you can help USAID identify development challenges that are currently overlooked, yet are in need of immediate attention. In particular, we want to hear about those unrecognized challenges that would benefit from the power of science, technology, innovation, or strategic partnership (STIP) and potentially improve the lives of millions.

This contest seeks essays, 1750-2000 words in length, which address the following questions:

• What and where is the unrecognized development challenge that you have observed?
• What social, economic, political, and/or environmental barriers exist that are related to this development blind spot? (Please cite studies, reports, and/or data to provide proof/background.)
• Is there a population subset—children, youth, women, minorities, LGBT, etc.—whose lives could be improved as a result?
• If the development blind spot were overcome using STIP, what might the impact be locally, regionally, nationally, or globally (qualitatively and quantitatively)?

The winners of the contest will receive the following cash prizes, as well as a variety of recognition prizes. 
                First place: $3,000
                Second Place: $2,000
                Third Place: $1,000

Deadline: October 1, 2014 
Full details here: http://bigideas.berkeley.edu/compete/blind-spots/ 

If you have any questions, please contact Kim Langsam.  Good luck!

Throughout the summer, SEAD interns will be sharing with us stories and experiences from their summer internships.  Today's post comes to us from Ishan Thakore who has been interning with USAID in the Global Development Lab.  The Global Development Lab "brings together a diverse set of partners to discover, test, and scale breakthrough solutions to achieve... the end of extreme poverty by 2030."

Throughout the summer, SEAD interns will be sharing with us stories and experiences from their summer internships.  Today's post comes to us from Vinesh Kapil who has been interning with USAID on the Saving Lives at Birth campaign.  Saving Lives at Birth: A Grand Challenge for Development works to find innovative ideas around the world that can help reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.  Vinesh shares with us the work he has been doing while in DC this summer.

The heat is on in DC. When I step outside in the morning to head to work and it’s “only” 85 degrees, I count myself lucky. I begin the journey to the Ronald Regan Building (where USAID is based), maximizing time spent in the shade while dodging cars, checking the metro schedule and crafting a “to-do” list for the day.

After I pass through security, I settle into another day at the office. Sometimes I have to catch myself- if it weren’t for the multiple boxes of Spongebob macaroni and cheese in my cupboards at home, I would almost feel like I’m living the adult life. The heat, the busy commute, the work I do, it all seems so very real.

Through Duke SEAD, HESN and USAID, I am working on the planning and execution of the Saving Lives at Birth Development Exchange. My internship is multifaceted, fast-paced, and I can say with 100% accuracy that no day is exactly the same as another. The DevX, an event that brings together entrepreneurs, innovators, scientists, donors and organizations from all around the world, is a chance for “game-changers” to showcase how their work is improving maternal and child health. It is a chance to share ideas, to learn from each other’s successes (and mistakes), and to inspire one another with the passion that pushed so many of the participants to find a way to improve health outcomes for mothers and children in the first place.

When I consider the internship at a more “macro” level, I realize that the goal of this project, indeed, the goal of the entire “Grand Challenge” from which it arose, could not be more real. The effect of such a program, funding these innovators, and exposing the public to what has been done, and what is left to do, is not only real work but it is one of the most worthwhile things I could be doing. Sure, I’m not in the field every day saving lives. And there are days when I wonder exactly how what I’m doing is improving health for others around the world. But then I recognize that the work I’m doing is contributing to a larger cause, to a larger machine. By doing my work (doing it well, I might add), I am helping to further a cause. So yes, some days, I might jokingly tell myself that the fact that I’m living the adult life is just an illusion. But I must remember that the work I’m doing is indeed real. It is concerning a problem that is a reality for many around the world and I am proud that I am able to contribute to alleviating those problems in my own way. It is an absolute pleasure to represent Duke here at USAID, be that as a young student pretending to be an adult, or an adult holding on to his Spongebob macaroni for all he is worth.  

How about five reasons?  The International Partnership for Innovative Healthcare Delivery (IPIHD) put together a fantastic guide on why you should consider nominating your organization for IPIHD and SEAD.  We know that scaling the impact of your innovations is no walk in the park.  Why not tap into our resources to help make it happen?

Read the full article here.

USAID recently released their Health-Related Research and Development Progress Report highlighting USAID's role in global health research and development.  On page 16 of the report, you will find a section detailing how SEAD is an integral part of USAID's strategy for promoting innovation and scaling impact.

Other key highlights from the report include:

Maternal Health and Newborn Mortality
 Validating a simplified approach to manage the third stage of labor that will enable lower-level skilled birth attendants to also manage inadequate contractions of the uterus, a cause of hemorrhage and death.

Demonstrating through evaluative research the efficacy of training lower-level health professionals to manage asphyxia, a leading cause of newborn mortality.

Developing and introducing chlorhexidine (CHX) antiseptic for umbilical cord care – a new, low-cost preventive intervention to reduce newborn infection, which causes up to 24 percent of newborn mortality.

Saving Lives at Birth
Stimulating new approaches to support innovation. In partnership with Canada, the United Kingdom, Norway and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Saving Lives at Birth: A Grand Challenge for Development promotes disruptive technology development and helps drive innovative solutions.

SILCS Diaphragm
Expanding contraceptive options through the development of a multipurpose diaphragm. The SILCS diaphragm is a cervical barrier method that does not require a pelvic exam, is reusable and can potentially protect against HIV and sexually transmitted infections when paired with microbicide gels.

HIV Vaccine Research
Accelerating progress on HIV vaccine research by analyzing antibodies that neutralize a broad spectrum of HIV.

Preventing Pandemic Threats
Developing the first-ever scientifically based prediction tool of unknown viruses that are potential candidate sources for emerging pandemic threats.

Detecting Counterfeit and Substandard Medicine
Advancing from proof-of-concept, a prototype of a portable device for detecting counterfeit and substandard medicines. This device is less expensive and more accurate than current technologies.

Read the full report here.

May 14, 2014   |   12:30pm - 6:00pm   |   Trent Semans Center, Great Hall A

On May 14th, Duke Cancer Institute and Duke Global Health Institute are sponsoring the Global Cancer Symposium: Tackling the Slow Motion Disaster. Global Cancer Symposium is free and open to the community. The agenda will cover a range of topics and perspectives from local as well as international speakers. The presentations and discussion panel will be followed by a reception open to all participants.

Speakers include: Ted Trimble, Director of the National Cancer Institute's Center for Global Health; Nestory Masalu, Chief of Oncology at the Bugando Medical Center in Mwanza, Tanzania; Edmundo Mauad, Director of the Hospital de Cancer in Barretos, Brazil; Jian Zhou of the Liver Cancer Institute in Shanghai, China; and Manju Sengar of the Tata Memorial Center in Mumbai, India.