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In recent years a
focus on emerging innovative technologies and massive
investment in research has tremendously improved health
in the industrialized countries. These have, at the same
time, further widened the gap between developed and
developing countries due to enormous inequalities in
health infrastructure and expertise. This rich–poor gap
in health research investment can be seen at the
regional level. Countries in the Region lack successful
health research strategies to provide the evidence and
the tools for the community, health care providers and
policy-makers. Most countries do not set priorities for
health research at the national and institutional
levels. |
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Extract from the
Regional Director's report, 2006 |
Mission
 To promote equitable health and health care
through sustainable health research systems and developing necessary
capacities for generation of appropriate knowledge and its
utilization towards improved health in the Eastern Mediterranean
Region.
Objectives
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Support and
promote the development of health research policies that foster
strengthening of national health research systems in the Member
States of the
Eastern Mediterranean Region.
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Provide support and technical assistance to
build capacities and resources for improved health research
conduct and its utilization in the Member States of the
Eastern Mediterranean Region.
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Support health research in priority areas of
public health and developing effective
 mechanisms to disseminate
and share knowledge and information.
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Promote and advocate adherence to ethical
practices, moral values and principles of equity and fairness in
health research in the Member States of the
Eastern Mediterranean Region.
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Develop effective linkages and partnerships with
international health research agencies to augment regional
health research capability.
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Identify new and emerging trends in health
research, knowledge generation and technology development that
have a strong potential for improving health, and supporting
their utilization to strengthen health systems in the Member
States of the Eastern Mediterranean
Region.
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Promote and collaborate in effective management
of
WHO Collaborating Centres in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Message from the Regional Director
In the past few decades we have witnessed great progress in global
health, made possible by the remarkable discoveries and
interventions through medical research. At the same time, however,
we witness that benefits of health research are skewed against those
who are in health need. Despite the global awareness of the need to
address the obvious and glaring inequities in health care and
research, the health divide between the rich and the poor continues
to widen. Unshackling the health equities and mending health
systems, therefore, remain the primary challenges for us even today.
The role of health research in improving national health and economy
is now well recognized and it is crucial that this potential is
fully harnessed by all nations across the globe. The renewed policy
for health research and development in the Eastern Mediterranean
Region of WHO provides a framework for action to strengthen health
research in the Member States. High quality research, directed
toward national needs helps in enrichment of resources, building of
adequate health systems infrastructure and provision of equitable
health care. For this to happen it is of paramount importance that
the research knowledge is utilized as the basis for policy and
action. Our efforts to pursue the extraordinary advances in
biomedical and behavioural sciences, must be balanced against
reasoning why some of the most simple, proven and cost-effective
interventions that can prevent nearly half of the global deaths, are
not implemented. Clearly, little is known about how to make these
available to those who need them most.
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