Training and Research Support Centre

Training and Research Support Centre (TARSC) provides training, research and support services to state and civil society organisations at national and international levels. TARSC is a learning and knowledge organization, with a particular focus on skills building, research and technical support and a commitment to long term capacity building in the public sector and in civil society.

Participatory Action Research TARSC with EQUINET, IDRC Canada and Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research has produced a methods reader on participatory action research (PAR) that draws on examples and experiences globally. The reader is available in English and in Spanish. In 2017 TARSC is implementing with Maldaba UK and institutions in EQUINETs pra4equity network a programme to build a web platform to implement cross country PAR work online. The work is now underway in 2018 and is being implemented in primary care sites with communities and frontline health workers in six countries in east and southern Africa. Interested persons should contact the Programme Coordinator, with ‘PAR web platform’ in the subject line at admin@tarsc.org and give full name and institution and your query or comment.

Promising primary care systems TARSC has led cross country research on promising practices in primary care as a key element of equitable health systems and primary health care. The reports on the learning from promising primary care practice in selected high and middle income countries can now be found in the publications bibliography with an overall technical synthesis produced of the learning.

Shaping Health: Social power and participation in health TARSC is leading cross country research on experiences of building social power and participation in local health systems in different countries globally. A conceptual framework paper and an annotated bibliography prepared in the project are available on this site. Short case studies have been produced from local health systems in Australia, Canada, Ecuador, India, Zambia and Vanuatu, summarised in a volume on these experiences. The Ecuador case study is also available in Spanish. Deeper scan country case studies have been produced from Brazil, Chile, Kenya, New Zealand, Scotland and Slovenia with a further volume summarising these experiences. Exchanges are underway on the findings from the work and a synthesis paper on the findings across the work is available in English and in Spanish. A ‘Shaping health’ website page will be available in April with all products of the research and the stories of change that reflect the key principles for working on social participation and power in health.

Global Health Diplomacy TARSC has co-ordinated an international programme exploring the role of global health diplomacy (GHD), including south –south diplomacy, in addressing selected key challenges to health and strengthening health systems working with institutions in EQUINET and has in 2016 and 2017 co-operated with SEATINI in EQUINET and with the ECSA Health Community to discuss the research findings and issues on the World Health Assembly agenda and build regional capacities in GHD. The research has also been published in a special issue of the Journal for Health Diplomacy on Africa.

Latest Activities

REGIONAL RESEARCH ON URBAN HEALTH EQUITY TARSC is implementing work exploring the approaches to and methods for addressing urban health equity applying a ‘wellbeing’ lens, and with a particular focus on youth. Interested persons should contact the Programme Coordinator with ‘Urban health equity’ at admin@tarsc.org and give full name and institution and how you would like to link on this work.

Latest TARSC Publications

Auntie Stella: Five stories of change
(October 2019)
Types of work: Training resources, Information resources
Areas of work: Community and Public health, Children, youth and women
Country: Zimbabwe
URL: Auntie Stella Five Stories of Change2019.pdf
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Latest EQUINET Publications

Research that supports health equity: Reflections and learning from EQUINET
Loewenson R; Mamdani M; Loewenson T; Dambisya Y; Chitah B; Kaim B; Machemedze R; Gilson L; Zulu A (2019)
Themes: Equity in health, Monitoring equity and research to policy
Country: East and southern Africa region
URL: EQ Diss120 Research for HE 2019 lfs.pdf

Ensuring that target-driven funding supports and does not harm comprehensive primary health care in east and southern Africa: Brief for international level
PAROnline (2019)
Themes: Resource allocation and health financing
Country: East and southern Africa region
URL: PARonline brief international 2019.pdf

Ensuring that target-driven funding supports and does not harm comprehensive primary health care in east and southern Africa: Brief for regional level
PAROnline community (2019)
Themes: Resource allocation and health financing
Country: East and southern Africa region
URL: PARonline brief regional 2019.pdf

Ensuring that target-driven funding supports and does not harm comprehensive primary health care in east and southern Africa: Brief for district and national level
PAROnline community (2019)
Themes: Resource allocation and health financing
Country: East and southern Africa region
URL: PARonline brief district and national 2019.pdf

Ensuring that target-driven funding supports and does not harm comprehensive primary health care in east and southern Africa: Brief for local level
PAROnline community (2019)
Themes: Resource allocation and health financing
Country: East and southern Africa region
URL: PARonline brief local 2019.pdf

How does target-driven funding affect comprehensive primary health care in east and southern Africa?
Loewenson R, Kaim B, Thole C, Moyo A, Kabango T, Asibu W, Kalolo P, Machilika N, Mutashobya G, Kijuu B, Abdallah K, Nziramwoyo P, Nampewo S, Serunjogi F, Namukisa R, Nakamya F, Zulu A, Chiwala A, Mwakoi C, Mutasa E, Katsande I, Madzukwa H, Gordon L (2019)
Themes: PAR work, Values, policies and rights, Equitable health services, Resource allocation and health financing, Governance and participation in health
Country: East and southern Africa region
URL: PARonline Report September2019.pdf

EQUINET Discussion paper 119: Critical assessment of different health financing options in east and southern African countries
Doherty J (2019)
Themes: Resource allocation and health financing
Country: East and southern Africa region
URL: EQ Disspaper 119 Fin 2019.pdf