The U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Office of Health, Infectious Diseases, and Nutrition’s (HIDN’s) approach to research and the translation/introduction of research into use make up the Health Research Program (HaRP).

The objective of HaRP is to identify, develop, and test new/refined tools, technologies, approaches, policies, and/or interventions to improve the health status of infants, children, mothers, and families in developing countries. HaRP activities include strategic planning, problem identification and priority setting, and monitoring of investments in research and their introduction into use. HaRP also conducts coordinated and collaborative research to develop new and refined tools, technologies, approaches, policies, and/or interventions. HaRP facilitates the translation/introduction of a select number of key research products into use.

Report to Congress: Health-Related Research and Development Activities at USAID - October 2010 [PDF, 1.4MB]
With this report, USAID provides its final update on the Agency’s 2006–2010 health research strategy for using research funds to stimulate the development and introduction of key products. Significant progress has been made in many areas, influencing policies and programming on the ground in real time. Detailed accounting of prior research activities is available in past issues of this report.

Past Reports
2009 Report to Congress [PDF, 447KB]
2008 Report to Congress [PDF, 1MB]
2006 Report to Congress [PDF, 881KB]
2005 Report to Congress [PDF, 2.8MB]

Promoting Evidence and Action for Respectful Care at Birth
Throughout the world, women are humiliated and abused in subtle and overt ways during childbirth, a time of intense vulnerability.  The Global Health Bureau commissioned an evidence-review to better understand this problem. The report “Exploring Evidence for Disrespect and Abuse in Facility-Based Childbirth [PDF, 947KB]” looks at the scope, contributors, impact and promising intervention approaches used. USAID is now funding grants to develop and evaluate interventions addressing disrespect and abuse in childbirth. The request for applications are available at www.hrcdproject.org/funding/funding.html

Child and Family Applied Research Project Final Project Report [PDF, 2.3MB]
The Child and Family Applied Research (CFAR) project, funded by USAID and managed under HaRP, conducted health research on the development and testing of new and better tools, technologies, approaches, policies and/or interventions to improve the health status of infants, children, mothers, and families in developing countries.

Global Research Activity Final Project Report [PDF, 1.6MB]
The Global Research Activity, funded by USAID and managed under HaRP, sought to advance the health status of infants, children, mothers, and families in the areas of maternal and neonatal health, micronutrients and dietary interventions, acute respiratory infections (ARI), and tuberculosis (TB) and other infectious diseases through a comprehensive but focused research agenda on key nutrition and health care service interventions.

WHO/UNICEF Joint Statement
Home Visits for the Newborn Child: A Strategy to Improve Survival
Released in 2009, this statement provides critical new guidance on prevention and management approaches that can be delivered through home visits in a baby’s first week of life. This statement builds upon USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Saving Newborn Lives/Save the Children-supported research, technical input, and assistance.

Two Decades of Progress: USAID’s Child Survival and Maternal Health Program [PDF, 3.9MB]
Since the inception of its child survival and maternal health program, the United States has committed nearly $7 billion in more than 80 countries in support of this strategy. In collaboration with numerous international, national, and private sector partners, this effort has yielded unprecedented successes.

Evidence Review of Newborn Sepsis Management [PDF, 1.7MB]
Read an overview of the September 2007 meeting which was convened to consider program needs and identify critical research to accelerate the availability and use of safe, effective, affordable, simple, and feasible community case management approaches for neonatal sepsis/infection among families with no or limited access to facility-based care.

The Lancet: Maternal Health Survival Series - October 2006
The Lancet published a landmark series of papers on reducing the burden of maternal mortality in developing countries.

The Lancet: Neonatal Survival Series - March 2005
Supported by USAID, The Lancet published a series of papers devoted to the health of newborns called the "Neonatal Survival Series."

The Lancet: Child Survival Series - May 2003
In February 2003 a six-day workshop was held to refocus the world’s attention on child mortality. The results of this workshop were published as a five-part series in The Lancet.