Enreca Health > About Enreca Health > Health research expertise

Health research expertise within the Network

The Danish resource base covers many different aspects of international health and addresses both research, research capacity building, service provision and consultancies. Research covers the biomedical, social and public health sciences, natural sciences, life sciences, as well as the humanities. Both operational and basic research are included, ranging from a focus on individual diseases to health systems. Where appropriate, emphasis is given to cross-disciplinary research. You can also consult the document Overview of Danish research competences and research projects - with regard to climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation in developing countries

This page is still in progress. Please contact us if you would like to contribute to any of the themes below. 

The research institutions and groups that are involved in the Network hold expertise in a number of fields including the following:

• Child health and child illness, including un-expected beneficial and adverse effects of vaccines, breast feeding policies, and school health; 

• Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and HIV and AIDS;

• Nutrition and food safety;

• Prevention and control of malaria , TB and other neglected tropical diseases, including vaccine development, treatment, drug resistance and service delivery;

• Non-communicable diseases (diabetes, cancer and cardio-vascular diseases) as well as the interaction between communicable and non-communicable diseases;
  

• Environmental health including climate changes, water and sanitation and the work environment; 

• Socio-cultural aspects of health, diseases and medicines;

• Rational use of pharmaceuticals and resistence;

• Health sector policy research and health economy;

• Humanitarian aid and disaster management;

• Social determinants of health .

Research capacity development is commonly an integrated element of the research, in particular in the ENRECA projects. Capacity is build for both basic and operational research. The Network continues to play a central role as a facilitator of postgraduate research training, often of a multi-disciplinary nature.

The donor architecture is changing rapidly in the light of the Paris Declaration and the demands for 'harmonisation and alignments' in all areas of development aid are increasing. These changes lead to a need for priority setting in the area of research. It is increasingly so that the definition of research needs is done with and by the national stakeholders. One example of that is how Danida in 2008 has initiated a pilot excercise in Tanzania and Vietnam where research activities will be initiated with the national stakeholders in the drivers seat. The overall aim of the pilot activities is to strengthen the research capacity in the two countries. The pilot activities will also support the implementation of national priorities within the framework of the Danish bilateral development assistance. 

Approaches to health research within the Network

The Network builds on strong and equal partnerships with institutions, organizations and networks in low-income countries in the South. The Network operates on the basis of a multi-disciplinary, cross-institutional and multi-sectoral approach with gender, sustainable development and poverty reduction as cross-cutting issues. Important sectors relating to health promotion are education, agriculture, and water & sanitation.

Approaches and activities comprise the following:

• Promotion of research and research capacity building within the framework of Danida's Health Sector Programme Support;

• Support to Essential National Health Research (ENHR) processes, including the organization of research and tools for prioritization and resource mobilization;

• Facilitation and provision of technical support to Danida and Danida's Health Sector Programme Support, as well as to other programmes related to international health;

• Enhancement of dialogue and information exchange between researchers and development aid agencies, universities and research institutions in the North and the South, Danida supported sector programmes, NGOs, private firms, and relevant international and regional organisations and networks;

• Dissemination and discussion of health related research perspectives, findings and challenges through internal and public seminars and workshops organised with relevant partner institutions, enhancing research into action to reduce the know-do gap both in Denmark and in the South;

• Facilitation of the production of best practice papers,  research based policy briefs and research briefs on research capacity building and research into action; and

• Promotion of an E-mail forum and web site to keep Network users updated about research and development related news, including requests for expertise and lessons learnt to enhance commitment and quality in international health research.