Guinea-Bissau National Research Needs Assessment

The former Minister of Health in Guinea-Bissau has invited our team to support a national health research needs assessment for the country’s health researchers. We’ve partnered with The Global Health Network to design a tailored skill assessment, which local researchers will implement in partnership with national institutions.

The Problem

Guinea-Bissau’s health system faces a range of challenges including limited infrastructure, workforce constraints, and high disease burdens. A core strength is the quality and commitment of the health workers and health researchers. However, without a clear, evidence-driven map of research capacity and skills gaps, scaling local research capacity and translating findings into policy will remain ad hoc and unsustainable.

Approach

With The Global Health Network we have supported local stakeholders researchers to identify and adapt a research skills assessment tool for the national context. We will support the administration and analysis of the survey.

Impact

This assessment will yield a grounded baseline of national health research capacity in Guinea-Bissau, spotlighting gaps and strategic priorities. The insights will inform national planning, donor alignment, capacity strengthening investments, and institutional reforms. Over time, strengthening the country’s research ecosystem can enhance evidence-informed policy, reduce dependence on external research agendas, and help local actors drive health system innovation.