INDEPTH Network

Where are in 2009….

Dr. Osman SankohExecutive Director

On behalf of Secretariat

Vision(s)…Vision(s)… 2002

To harness the collective potential of the world's community-based longitudinal demographic surveillance initiatives in resource constrained countries to provide a better, empirical understanding of health and social issues, and to apply this understanding to alleviate the most severe health and social challenges.

2005INDEPTH will be an international platform of sentinel demographic sites that provides health and demographic data and research to enable developing countries to set health priorities and policies based on longitudinal evidence. INDEPTH's data and research will guide the cost effective use of tools, interventions and systems to ensure and monitor progress towards national goals.

INDEPTH Network

Mission(s)…Mission(s)… 20021. To initiate and facilitate cross-site,

longitudinal health and social studies and impact assessments in severely resource constrained populations.

2. To disseminate study findings with all external stakeholders to maximize impact on policy and practice.

3. To foster and support capacity building and cross-site collaborations among INDEPTH member sites.

4. To facilitate the process for donors to fund multi-site health and social research projects in the developing world and especially Africa and Asia.

2005 To harness the collective potential of the world's community-based longitudinal demographic surveillance initiatives in resource constrained countries to provide a better, empirical understanding of health and social issues, and to apply this understanding to alleviate the most severe health and social challenges

(2002 Vision).

INDEPTH Network

ObjectivesObjectives 20021. Cultivate cross-site activities.

2: Broaden the scope of health research by confronting the emerging agenda of non-communicable disease and aging, violence and injury, migration and urbanization and the problems associated with vulnerable population segments.

3: Continually improve the methods and technologies used by member sites to ensure all participating groups have access to the most valid and appropriate methodologies available.

4: Generate visibility and recognition for INDEPTH and member sites among critical constituencies including academic, government and international agencies and donors.

20051. To initiate and facilitate cross-site,

longitudinal health and social studies and impact assessments in severely resource constrained populations.

2. To disseminate study findings with all external stakeholders to maximize impact on policy and practice.

3. To foster and support capacity building and cross-site collaborations among INDEPTH member sites.

4. To facilitate the process for donors to fund multi-site health and social research projects in the developing world and especially Africa and Asia.

(2002 Mission)

INDEPTH Network

INDEPTH Network

Core Activities - 2006Core Activities - 2006

1. Cultivate cross-site activities.

2: Broaden the scope of health research by confronting the emerging agenda of non-communicable disease and aging, violence and injury, migration and urbanization and the problems associated with vulnerable population segments.

3: Continually improve the methods and technologies used by member sites to ensure all participating groups have access to the most valid and appropriate methodologies available.

4: Generate visibility and recognition for INDEPTH and member sites among critical constituencies including academic, government and international agencies and donors.

(2002 Objectives)

INDEPTH Network

Attempt in 2008 - Objectives…Attempt in 2008 - Objectives… To support and strengthen the ability of INDEPTH

sites to conduct longitudinal health and demographic studies in defined populations.

To facilitate the translation of INDEPTH findings to maximise impact on policy and practice.

To facilitate and support research capability strengthening relevant to INDEPTH activities.

To stimulate and co-ordinate multi-site applications to research funding bodies for specific research activities.

(These are our current objectives, developed at Dar es Salaam AGM)

INDEPTH Network

INDEPTH value propositionINDEPTH value proposition Enhance site capabilities and local knowledge

dissemination New knowledge and insights from cross-site

studies Improved effectiveness and efficiency of research

investments Impact on multi-national and national policy and

practice

(This value statement has not changed over the years...)

INDEPTH Network

The questions are...The questions are... 10 years down the line...

Vision: Where are we in achieving it? Mission: How we are delivering? Objectives: Doing well with measuring them?

What indicators of success or failure do we have? What can we say about our business?

Vision from 2005Vision from 2005

(a) INDEPTH will be an international platform of sentinel demographic sites (b) that provides health and demographic data and research to enable developing countries to set health priorities and policies based on longitudinal evidence. (c) INDEPTH's data and research will guide the cost effective use of tools, interventions and systems to ensure and monitor progress towards national goals.

Let’s quickly look at our answers to a, b, and c…

INDEPTH Network

INDEPTH Network

Currently 37 sites in 19 countries26 sites in Africa9 sites in Asia1 site in Oceania1 site in Latin America

Over 2,000,000 people under surveillance

(a) INDEPTH will be an international platform of sentinel demographic sites – YES WE ARE...

Vision from 2005Vision from 2005

(b) that provides health and demographic data and research to enable developing countries to set health priorities and policies based on longitudinal evidence.

To some extent – some policy impacts based on our data. But are we really satisfied with our impact?

(c) INDEPTH's data and research will guide the cost effective use of tools, interventions and systems to ensure and monitor progress towards national goals.

Unsure… To be able to do this, we need to stretch our arms out of the HDSAs

INDEPTH Network

Mission from 2005Mission from 2005

(a) To harness the collective potential of the world's community-based longitudinal demographic surveillance initiatives in resource constrained countries (b) to provide a better, empirical understanding of health and social issues, and (c) to apply this understanding to alleviate the most severe health and social challenges ... hmmm the (c) part! Have we been applying this understanding?

INDEPTH Network

INDEPTH Network

Looking at the Objectives…Looking at the Objectives… To support and strengthen the ability of INDEPTH

sites to conduct longitudinal health and demographic studies in defined populations. (Yes, we are doing this quite well)

To facilitate the translation of INDEPTH findings to maximise impact on policy and practice. (Not too well)

To facilitate and support research capability strengthening relevant to INDEPTH activities (We are trying our best).

To stimulate and co-ordinate multi-site applications to research funding bodies for specific research activities. (We are trying our best – some success)