As part of the Immunization Costing Action Network (ICAN) project, researchers identified key factors that increase the likelihood that health policy makers will use evidence for policy making or planning from conducting semi-structured interviews with key informants and a literature review on other initiatives. Eight key factors were identified hat increase the likelihood that health policy makers will use evidence for policy making or planning. Based on the identification of these critical success factors, the team used a 6-step evidence to policy and practice (EPP) facilitated process in each of the ICAN member countries (below) from 2016-2019 to increase the likelihood of generating policy and program-relevant cost evidence and improving its uptake and use.
See below for the six-step evidence to policy and practice facilitated process:
Study findings will be used by the Ministry of Health and BAPPENAS to inform the National Medium-Term Development Plan, and the Health Operational Cost Guidelines for subnational annual budgeting and planning.
Study findings will be used by the Tanzania Ministry of Health (MoHCDGEC) to update national guidelines to support Comprehensive Council Health Plan (CCHP) budgeting for operational activities, and to inform the next five-year National Health Plan and immunization comprehensive multi-year plan (cMYP).
Study findings helped the Vietnam Ministry of Health understand the budget impact of introducing Td.
Simply making immunization cost evidence available will not likely lead to uptake at country level, with several potential causes identified.
Facilitating the 6-step evidence to policy and practice process led to increased recognition by national- and subnational-level stakeholders of the importance of generating and using cost evidence in all 3 countries. However, this did not necessarily translate to actual use.
Six lessons learned can help future researchers improve the use of immunization cost evidence in country planning and budgeting processes.
