Context

Following a report by the ESSENCE for Health Research Working Group, Gawani supported the implementation of pilot projects aimed at strengthening collaboration on research capacity strengthening across low- and middle-income countries.

Challenge

The work aimed to improve the efficacy of investments, minimise duplication, ensure alignment with country needs and foster collaborative action by research funders — filling gaps in countries where research capacity is low relative to need.

Approach

We used existing data on research capacity relative to burden of disease to identify priority countries with critical gaps, and assessed international funder activity to find where that activity was concentrated. This produced a shortlist of target countries for piloting the ESSENCE mechanism.

Further desk research and expert interviews narrowed the field. We developed an inventory of pilot opportunities, applied a prioritisation framework, and produced a roadmap for implementation over the short, medium and long term — recommending specific pilots for immediate action, with concept notes, draft implementation plans covering governance and reporting, and programme work plans. We also recommended an evaluation framework setting out metrics, KPIs and baseline data.

Outcome

The prioritisation tool gave the client a shortlist of countries where research capacity is low relative to health research need, identifying significant opportunities for improved funder collaboration and coordination.

Sustainability

The evaluation framework and roadmap support sustained alignment between funder investments and country-specific research needs.