Senegal

SENEGAL - National National Health Research System (NHRS)

Key historical milestones

• Late 1960s - The newly independent State assumes national science

• Creation of the Inter-ministerial Council for Scientific Research and an Office for Scientific and Technical Affairs – with UNESCO's support
• Creation of Ministry for Scientific and Technical Research.
  

• Late 1970s - Health Research, specific task under the MOH

• Creation of the Directorate for Research, Planning and Training within the MOH. Its aim: research coordination, management and advocacy. Three offices were created: Office for Medical Research; Office for Pharmaceutical and Office for Nursing Care.
• Abolition of the Directorate. The Research Department remains and acquires new and a wide scope of function including development of national programme for research and mechanisms for coordinating research and definition of research priorities.
  

• Late 1990s and current 2000s – foundations of a National Health Research System

• Reshuffle of MoH and creation of a new Department for Studies, Research and Training. Its aim: to provide technical support for government departments, and across the health pyramid and to coordinate research activities.
• Several base-line studies gave birth to the National Health Development Plan (PNDS) (1998 -2007) and the National Health Research Programme (PNRS) (2001) creating the conditions for:
  
  • Adoption of the Essential National Health Research (ENHR) Strategy (2001)
    
  • Development of a fund for research under the Ministry of Scientific Research and Technology - 3 millions Euros per year -
    
  • Establishment of ethical and scientific committees for research
    
  • Definition of priorities on operational research and the Plan for Integrated Health Development (PDIS)
    
  • Training in operational research methodology of the country's medical staff
    
  • Improvement of health research coordination through:
    
    • The creation of the Direction of Studies, Research and Training (DERF)
      
    • The establishment of the National Council on Health Reseach (CNRS) under the MOH. Composed by two committees: a scientific and an ethical. Both bodies in charge of health research scientific and ethical clearance, respectively.
      
    • In 2004, the two committees are mixed and we have a same committee delivering the scientific and ethical clearance
      
• Enactment of the Code d 'Ethic pour la Recherche en Santé (2009)
  
• In 2009, adoption the new code of health research number of the law :2009-17 of march 2009
  
• Adoption by the Ministerial Council of the decree creating the National Ethical committee of health research (NEHRC).
  
• Elaboration of SOPs for managing the NEHRC.
  
• Review and update of the PNRS 2001, 2004.  
• Currently (2009), there is a Strategic Plan (2009-2012) with budget 1. 800 000 000 CFA -  2743902 Euros
  

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Sources:
- Health Research for Development in Senegal - a Summary
  African consultative process, in preparation of the International Conference on Health Research for Development (Bangkok, 2000)
- Programme National de Recherche en Santé (PNRS) (2001) DERF, Ministère de la Santé et de la Prévention du Sénégal
- Strengthening the impact of health research in Senegal - Research into Action, Issue 27, 2002, COHRED
- Plan Strategique de la Recherche en Santé 2009 – 2012, Ministère de La Santé et de La Prévention et de L'hygiène Publique, Direction de la Santé, Division des Etudes et de la       Recherche (DER), Senegal, 2009
- Division of Studies health Research (DER), MoH , Senegal, 2009


Governance and management of the NHRS

• What structures or organizations are involved in the governance of health research in the country?

In Senegal, the Ministry of Scientific Research and Technology does the general governance of all research undertaken within the country, through its Direction of Scientific Research. The latter is in charge of the elaboration of the National Strategic Development Plan for Research as well as of the management of the one and only National Research Fund and is a member of the National Ethical Committee for Health Research (CNERS). Through its Technical Committee and on yearly basis, it sets the research priorities for each area and allocates the funding for each of them. Following this procedure, the Ministry does a national call and defines a deadline to examine and decide what protocol to fund. In general terms, three different areas are funded each year, for example, agriculture, health and environment.

The Ministry of Health, Prevention and Public Hygiene is in charge of the governance of health research with the technical support and advice of the Division of Studies and health Research (DER) and the National Ethical Committee for Health Research (CNERS). Since the late 90s, the Ministry has provided the institutional basis for the strengthening of research capacity on operational research across the national health pyramid. For example, those health programs financed by external fund, have a specific budget to be allocated to research activities. For a protocol to be funded, it needs to fulfill all the requirements set up by CNERS. Another example is that for the year 2010, the Ministry will propose to the Ministry of Finance to activate a specific budget for operational health research.

There are two more high level structures involved in the governance of health research:

On one hand, the Ministry of Higher Education is linked to the Ministry of Health, through the faculty of medicine. It participates actively in the identification of the health research priorities and the research capacity building of human resources in the country. On the other hand, The Ministry of Economy and Finance allocates the core budget for the functioning of both the Division of Studies, Research and Training (DER) and the CNERS. In light of the Bamako Declaration (2008), it has approved the creation of a fund exclusively reserved to health research.


• What structures or organizations are involved in the management or coordination of health research in the country?

The Division of Studies and health Research (DER) that falls under the Ministry of Health through the Direction of Health, is the national structure in charge of the management of health research. Its main roles include to coordinate and encourage health research in Senegal amongst all the institutions and partners involved in the sector. It holds a monthly meeting with all international donors supporting health research in the country. A major role is that it ensures the secretariat to the National Ethical Committee for Health Research (CNERS).

The CNERS, is composed of a wide representation of health research partners - (Government; Academia; WHO; International and National Research Institutes; Medical Orders and Civil Society). It is the maximum body for health research ethical clearance. This body is in charge of the implementation of the Code d'Éthique pour la Recherche en Santé, established in 2009. It is also a consultative body of the Ministry of Health for it examines all the submitted research protocols and provides its scientific opinion to the MOH for its final decision. No research project can be executed without prior authorization. For 2009-2010, this body counts on a funding from EDCTP of 50 000 euros for developing ethics in health research.

The National Laboratory of Drug Control also plays an important role in the management of health research. As the main regulator of the quality of drugs used in clinical trials, it helps the technical group responsible of undertaking the survey, to evaluate clinical trial protocols.


Sources:
- Division of Studies health Research (DER), MoH , Senegal, 2009
- Web:https://www.sante.gouv.sn ; Web:https://www.refer.sn/rds


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