Update from HSG Asia Pacific regional meeting at 2nd CHW Symposium
On 22nd November, HSG Asia regional representative Dr Kaaren Mathias facilitated a workshop at a side event of the Second International Symposium on Community Health Workers held in Dhaka from 22 – 24th November. An enthusiastic group of 40 people participated in the workshop, which discussed strategies for strengthening the field of health systems and policy research regionally.
Presentations from some senior scientists and HSR leaders from Bangladesh included an overview on health systems by Dr Iqbal Anwar, a summary of key components of health system research by Dr Taufique Joarder, and a review of current and future strategies for building the field in Bangladesh by Dr. Shahed Hossain and Dr Sohana Shafique. A small-group discussion format generatedideas on ways to build participation from Bangladesh and other South-East Asian Region (SEAR) countries in HSG regionally.
The workshop also reviewed the themes of the upcoming Sixth Global Symposium on Health Systems Research (HSR2020) and approaches for writing abstracts. A joint participatory review of an abstract provided ideas on how abstracts can be strengthened, with the upcoming deadline for individual abstract submission in early February 2020.
It was a great first meeting for HSG in Bangladesh and there is energy and enthusiasm for action together in health systems research in years ahead.
If you are an HSG member located and working in Asia and the Pacific, and would be interested in joining the HSG Asia Pacific Regional Network, please contact Kaaren Mathias and Katherine Anne Reyes.
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Image credit: Dipika Shankar
