Increasing the value of health research in the WHO African Region beyond 2015—reflecting on the past, celebrating the present and building the future: a bibliometric analysis

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess the profile and determinants of health research productivity in Africa since the onset of the new millennium.DesignBibliometric analysis.Data collection and synthesisIn November 2014, we searched PubMed for articles published between 2000 and 2014 from the WHO African Region, and obtained country-level indicators from World Bank data. We used Poisson regression to examine time trends in research publications and negative binomial regression to explore determinants of research publications.ResultsWe identified 107 662 publications, with a median of 727 per country (range 25–31 757). Three countries (South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya) contributed 52% of the publications. The number of publications increased from 3623 in 2000 to 12 709 in 2014 (relative growth 251%). Similarly, the per cent share of worldwide research publications per year increased from 0.7% in 2000 to 1.3% in 2014. The trend analysis was also significant to confirm a continuous increase in health research publications from Africa, with productivity increasing by 10.3% per year (95% CIs +10.1% to +10.5%). The only independent predictor of publication outputs was national gross domestic product. For every one log US$ billion increase in gross domestic product, research publications rose by 105%: incidence rate ratio (IRR=2.05, 95% CI 1.39 to 3.04). The association of private health expenditure with publications was only marginally significant (IRR=1.86, 95% CI 1.00 to 3.47).ConclusionsThere has been a significant improvement in health research in the WHO African Region since 2000, with some individual countries already having strong research profiles. Countries of the region should implement the WHO Strategy on Research for Health: reinforcing the research culture (organisation); focusing research on key health challenges (priorities); strengthening national health research systems (capacity); encouraging good research practice (standards); and consolidating linkages between health research and action (translation).

The path to longer and healthier lives for all Africans by 2030: the Lancet Commission on the future of health in sub-Saharan Africa

“…297 A bibliometric analysis of PubMed articles from the WHO African Region published between 2000 and 2014 found the number of publications increased from 3623 in 2000 to 12 709 in 2014. 298 This is a relative growth of 251% as compared to 96% globally. However, Africa only accounts for 2.4% of the world's output of scientific papers and most of this output is from South African universities.…”

“…However, at present many international research collaborations outside South Africa are characterised by a power imbalance due to the African partner's limited institutional capacity and very unequal resources. 298 International partnerships should be reshaped around two principles: mutual agenda setting and benefit, and equality in decision making between partners (see panel 6 for what makes a successful collaboration). Overseas partners could do more to foster accountability and to promote leading roles for African institutions in such collaborations; African partners need a greater sense of ownership and the ability to initiate action.…”

“…Most research in Africa is still conceived outside of Africa and published by non-Africans. 298 This imbalance needs to shift. Leadership on Africa's health, scientific, and development challenges must come from Africans in close collaboration with the global research community.…”

Collaboration is key to strengthening surgical research capacity in sub-Saharan Africa

“…[11] All collaboratives from the UK have found alignment with existing organised structures beneficial in providing advice and support, including professional specialty associations. In SA, for example, the Association of Surgeons of South Africa, the Surgical Research Society of Southern Africa and the South African Society of Surgeons in Training could provide the academic, structural and logistical support for us to adopt a similar model and encourage surgical trainee collaborative development in SA (Fig.…”

Development to Enable Precision Medicine in Africa

“…A recent analysis of data in the Genome Wide Association Study Catalog determined that though the proportion has increased in recent years, less than 10% of the data comes from African populations [2]. There is also disparity in the research outputs of African scientists; however, an analysis from 2015 has shown that we are seeing an increase in the number of research articles led by African scientists, along with an increase in publications from Africa related to health research [3].…”