The Zambia Forum for Health Research(ZAMFOHR) offers various products, services and opportunities that have been designed to encourage knowledge translation and the utilization of health information in practice and decision-making.

Knowledge Translation Consultative Services
ZAMFOHR’s KT Fellows are currently undergoing specialized training to become experts in knowledge translation. Each Fellow is to become an expert in a specific area of the field. Fellows’ expertise is available on a consultative basis in the following areas:

• Systematic review

 Up-to-date summaries that describe the effects of various health-care interventions. Such summaries help audiences to make evidence-based decisions in everyday practice. Audiences that are targeted by systematic reviews usually include researchers and health workers so that the practice of medicine is as effective and up-to-date aspossible.

• Context mapping

A collection of mapping tools used by health advocates and researchers to assess the context surrounding their research.  If we want to undertake research and/or have it incorporated into policy and planning, who do we need to harbor support from? How are policies formulated? Who may try to hinder our project? The more that health advocates understand their context, the more likely they are to lead a successful knowledge translation project.

• Communications strategie

Tools and planning strategies used by researchers to communicate the value and need of their work and findings to various audiences and stakeholders.

• Policy briefs and dialogues

A two-page introduction and summary that describes research that has been conducted, and how the information can be used for applied and translated into action. Policy briefs allow for audiences to read and understand the significance of research and how it can be used to create solutions.

• Monitoring and evaluation

A strategy for monitoring progress  from projects and programmes.  “M & E” is a continual process of collecting data throughout a project, and also at the end of a project to assess effectiveness and impact of the project, and to measure the change that has been made.  M and E results can be used to re-assess,  re-design and strengthen new projects.

E-Learning Workshops: Building Capacity to Access Health Literature Electronically

E-learning workshops are hosted by ZAMFOHR to promote information literacy amongst deliverers of health care, students, decision-makers, researchers, and government. ZAMFOHR works with leading experts to provide e-learning sessions concerning:

• Accessing academic and scientific literature from databases
• Utilizing the ZAMFOHR database
• Gateways and search engines
• Telemedicine
• Live conferencing
• Free online health information resources                                                   

Workshops are open to all of those who wish to build their e-skills and strengthen their capacity to access good, reliable health information online. If you are interested in attending a workshop, please do not hesitate to contact ZAMFOHR with your inquiries. Most importantly, workshops are FREE!