Global Research Activity (GRA)
In fall of 2003, the Johns Hopkins
University (JHU) Bloomberg School of Public Health was awarded $37 million by USAID to lead the Agency’s global research activities over the next five years. The Global Research Activity (GRA), a consortium of organizations that collectively bring substantial health and nutrition research leadership, expertise, and technical expertise in health services delivery, helps to provide the evidence base for programs and policies worldwide in the areas of maternal and child health, and nutrition and infectious disease reduction.
In addition to JHU, the GRA Partnership includes:
GRA activities address priority research areas as defined by USAID. All research is directed at improving human health as directly and immediately as possible and focuses on the development of and means to improve the utilization of effective and feasible health and nutrition interventions. The range of this research includes, at one end of this continuum development and efficacy-testing of new technologies and interventions, and at the other end evaluation of the effectiveness and health benefits of large-scale programs, especially at early stages of implementation.
Capabilities
- Respond to global public health priorities and challenges
- Conduct multi-disciplinary, multi-country research,
evaluations, health services/operations research, and
introductory activities with a wide range of existing and
new partners/institutions
- Work with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners
to help establish
global prevention and treatment guidelines, standards
and norms
and provide the evidence-base for effective health
programs
Guiding Principles
A number of guiding principles and features have been adopted by the GRA Partnership in developing this research and evaluation agenda.
- Research will be carried out in developing countries and thus needs to be relevant and applicable for the host country, as well as of global importance.
- Research will often involve North-South or South-South collaboration and will include institutional and individual capacity building for health research and policy.
- Studies performed will be scientifically sound and representative of the developing world to provide the best evidence for formulation of policy and programs. Since conditions in the developing world are diverse, the GRA Partnership often proposes conducting these studies in more than one geographic area.
- Studies will comply with current international ethical standards.
- Results will be published and made available in various forms to reach both scientific and programmatic stakeholders.
- The GRA Partnership will facilitate the availability and adoption of new technologies or interventions by health programs.
Sources of Funding
The GRA currently receives funds from the Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition (HIDN) of the Bureau for Global Health, USAID; USAID Field Missions; USAID Bureau for Africa; and the U.S. States Department of Health and Human Services, National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO).
Technical Vision
The technical vision of the
GRA Partnership in advancing health status of infants, children,
mothers and families contains research conducted in the areas of
Micronutrients and Dietary Interventions, Child Health, Neonatal
Health, Maternal Health, and Tuberculosis.
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