Accelerating the implementation of the Action Plan to Strengthen the Use of Evidence, Information and Research for Policy-making in the WHO European Region: opportunities, lessons learned and ways forward (2020)

Synergized health research and evidence-informed policy-making (EIP) systems are crucial to achieving universal health coverage, a commitment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These guiding principles underlie the key action areas of the Action Plan to Strengthen the Use of Evidence, Information and Research for Policy-making in the WHO European Region.

In 2017 representatives from Armenia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan took the first steps towards undertaking these actions by ratifying the Sofia Declaration and establishing the European Health Research Network (EHRN) under the auspices of the WHO European Health Information Initiative (EHII). In 2018 Ukraine joined as the sixth member of EHRN. EHRN provides strategic direction and leadership in national health research systems (NHRS) strengthening and a platform for communication, exchange and advocacy in the WHO European Region.

In 2019 EHRN held a multicountry workshop, co-organized by the Division of Information, Evidence, Research and Innovation of the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, to build upon Member States’ experiences and lessons learned to date and identify the next steps for implementation of the Action Plan.

This document outlines the proceedings of the 2019 multicountry workshop and presents next steps to support Member States in the WHO European Region to strengthen their national health research systems.