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 2017-2019 TARSC implemented with Maldaba UK and institutions in EQUINETs pra4equity network a programme to build and use a web platform to implement cross country PAR work online. The work was implemented in primary care sites with communities and frontline health workers in six countries in east and southern Africa. Youll find the PARonline report and briefs from the work on the EQUINET website For further information contact us with ‘PAR web platform’ in the subject line at admin@tarsc.org and please provide your name and institution with your query or comment.

Fostering policy support for family and child health and wellbeing- learning from international experience TARSC in association with University of Aberdeen and with support from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Global ideas fund has led cross country research in 2019 to gather and share evidence and learning on what has led to a change in policy norms and produced increased policy recognition of family and child health and wellbeing (FCHW) in high, middle and low-income countries internationally. There are fourteen case study reports that are being made available on the TARSC website in December 2019 and January 2020. The case study reports cover diverse policy changes in Australia, Brazil, Chile, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Norway, Peru, Rwanda, South Africa (one on the Childrens Act and one on integrated school health services), Sweden, United Kingdom and Vietnam. A synthesis of the learning and strategic drivers of policy change is being produced in early 2020. For further information contact us with ‘Policy analysis’ in the subject line at admin@tarsc.org and please provide your name and institution with your query or comment.

Shaping Health: Social power and participation in health TARSC led 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 presents 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 since 2016 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 implemented work in 2018 and 2019 exploring the approaches to and methods for addressing urban health equity applying a ‘wellbeing’ lens, and with a particular focus on youth. A summary report of the work on urban health equity and other products are available on the EQUINET website. 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

Brazil case study: Building policy support for investment in early child development
(December 2019)
Types of work: Policy analysis
Areas of work: Community and Public health
Country: Brazil
URL: FCH-Brazil case study fv2019.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