Grant: Planning Grants

One of the most challenging knowledge translation problems is to lower the high rates of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). The United Nations Development Program (UNDP)/United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)/World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank Special Program of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction and its partners have developed a collaboration to tackle this challenge and have adopted the Knowledge to Action (KTA) Framework to outline their approach. In an attempt to improve the quality of care for mothers and infants in Kosovo, to build capacity in knowledge translation locally and to develop a framework for implementation of guidelines in LMIC we propose to hold a 1.5 day meeting involving relevant stakeholders that will be used to: 1.develop a framework for knowledge implementation for WHO guidelines on maternal and infant health; 2.develop a strategy for evaluating this framework with researchers, clinicians, policy makers, and members of the public in Kosovo, and a research program and grant to fund this evaluation; and, 3.develop a network of relevant stakeholders in Kosovo including patients/members of the public, health care providers, health care managers and policy makers to build capacity in the practice of KT. To achieve these objectives, we will use a 2-phased approach including a series of interviews and a modified nominal group meeting format.