Call for proposals: Implementation research on integrated care pathways to address NCDs and mental health conditions

Implementation research on integrated care pathways to address NCDs and mental health conditions. Incentive grants for young researchers from low- and middle-income countries

The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Noncommunicable Disease Platform, in collaboration with the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, and the World Medical Association, is pleased to invite proposals from individual researchers who are enrolled in accredited academic institutions and conduct research projects as part of their graduate degree requirements.

The goal of this call is to provide incentive grants to build the capacity of young researchers working on, and ideally based in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to carry out implementation research to investigate integrated care pathways for the prevention and control of NCDs and mental health conditions, encompassing actions by the health sector and beyond for the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to generate knowledge and support the scaling-up of proven cost-effective interventions.

Priority will be given to researchers enrolled in LMIC institutions. The proposed projects should be completed within 12 months from the date the grant is awarded. Proposals beyond the scope of this call will not be reviewed.

Scope and Themes

This call is for project proposals that will use the tools of implementation science to explore the pathways of integrated care to prevent and control NCDs. The following thematic areas can be investigated to generate evidence-based context-specific solutions and expand the knowledge base:
1. Integrated services for NCD prevention and control (integrating preventive and curative care, combining clinical and population health approaches):

• Reducing exposure to risk factors through health promotion and primary prevention;
• Early detection and management;
• Surveillance to monitor trends in risk factors and diseases.

2. Integrated NCD and mental health agenda
3. Integrated NCD, mental health, and other programmatic areas (e.g. MNCH, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, TB)
4. Integrated care across the delivery platforms (community, primary, secondary, tertiary) 5. Integrated NCD and mental health care across the life course

Outputs
The following outputs are expected from the selected research projects: — Comprehensive research reports detailing findings and recommendations: These reports will provide an in-depth analysis of the research conducted, including the methodologies used, data collected, and the analyses performed. They will o er clear, actionable recommendations based on the findings, aimed at policymakers, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders. These recommendations will be tailored to the specific needs and contexts of LMICs, ensuring they are practical and implementable. Policy briefs summarizing the research outcomes and policy implications.

Outcome: The programme aims to build the capacity of young researchers from LMICs to conduct implementation research, allowing them to act as catalysts for institutional change in NCD prevention and mental health promotion.

Eligibility

This funding opportunity is aimed at individual young researchers who are currently enrolled in accredited academic institutions and will be carrying out research projects as part of their master’s degree requirements. If the research is for a doctoral degree, it will only be considered if it can be completed within 12 months from the date of the grant award. Priority will be given to researchers based in LMICs. Proposals from LMIC researchers based in institutions of high-income countries may be considered on a case-by-case basis. In all cases, regardless of where researchers are based, the focus of the research itself must be on LMICs.

Please take note of the following eligibility criteria for applicants:

• Applicants must be under 35 years of age. A copy of a national passport or other valid identification may be requested for reference purposes only.
• Applicants must be a national of LMIC and conduct research related to LMICs. Priority will be given to researchers enrolled in LMIC institutions. The list of countries by income group is available for reference at https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-worldbankcountry.
• Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate degree program (master’s in health or a related discipline) at an accredited university at the time of application. Doctoral degree candidates will be considered if they complete the project within 12 months from the date of the award. (Applicants may refer to the World Higher Education Database http://www.whed.net/).
• Applicants must conduct research as part of their academic study. Applicants must be fluent in English, as only submissions in English will be accepted at this time. Applicants should be prepared to submit their Institutional Review Board approval of projects if required.
• In addition, the researcher must obtain a letter of permission from the thesis supervisor authorizing the conduct of the study and submission of the proposal to WHO for the incentive grant.
• Applicants must show that they have other funding available for the project, as this grant is meant to be complementary, not the sole source of support. Proof of other funding may be needed.

Application process Deadline: Friday, 31 January 2025, 23:59 CET Applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered. Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Therefore, early submissions are strongly encouraged.

Deadline for submission: 31 January 2025 (23:59 CET)

The proposals should be submitted in English.

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