This study examined factors influencing the production, translation, and use of modeled evidence in Burkina Faso, Nigeria, India, and Kenya, focusing on researcher-decision-maker engagement. Using mixed methods, including surveys, interviews, and desk reviews, the research highlighted facilitators like knowledge brokers, boundary organizations, and strong data systems, as well as barriers such as funding constraints and timing issues. Findings underscore the importance of an evidence ecosystem approach, promoting structured interaction and dialogue between evidence producers and users to enhance public health decision-making. Effective evidence use relies on collaborative processes, relevant outputs, and responsive communication channels amidst global crises.
BIODIVERSITY LOSS: A HEALTH CRISIS
Biodiversity loss has reached a critical threshold, risking irreversible impacts on health. At the 16th COP16 meeting in Colombia, world leaders aim to advance the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, targeting biodiversity preservation by 2030. Yet, 85% of nations missed pledges, underscoring a gap between urgency and action. Biodiversity underpins food, water, and air, and its decline heightens zoonotic disease risks, exemplified by COVID-19. Many medicines originate in nature, but species extinction threatens undiscovered medical advances. Indigenous communities, guardians of 80% of global biodiversity, face deep cultural and mental health impacts from loss. Prioritizing biodiversity is essential for human survival.
Health systems and rehabilitation communities work largely in silos, overlooking the urgent need for integration to support those requiring rehabilitation services. This paper highlights the importance of incorporating rehabilitation into health systems, addressing ongoing efforts, challenges, and strategies for global integration. Health policy and systems research (HPSR) offers insights to overcome barriers to universal rehabilitation access, focusing on health systems, social determinants, and collaborative policy processes. As the World Health Assembly calls for action, governments and the global health community must prioritize and fund research to make rehabilitation accessible worldwide, supporting Rehabilitation 2030, universal health coverage, and SDGs.