Abstract:
This study examined the use of research finding in health policy formulation in Zanzibar. The aim of this study was to see how the policy makers in the Ministry of Health use research findings as an input during the policy formulation. The general objective was to examine the use of research findings in formulation of health policy in Zanzibar. Specific objectives were: to determine how research findings have been used in the development of health policy in Zanzibar, to examine the linkage between policy makers and researchers, to identify the challenges that limited the use of research findings in formulation of health policy in Zanzibar and solutions thereof. Along this, the study adopted the qualitative approach using a case study design. 50 respondents were purposively selected as a sample size drawn from different area including Ministry of Health, Research Institutions and NGOs as sampling frame. In this study, primary and secondary data were collected through interviews and document reviews as the methods of gathering information and analysed by using content analysis technique. The findings of this study indicated that use of research findings is a fundamental input in the formulation of health policy. However, the policy makers rely on using inadequate evidence in formulating policy; this has been caused by poor coordination between policy makers and researchers which resulted to poor implementation of the policy. Such state of affairs is against evidence based policy. This substantiates the overriding views among policy makers that the connection between research and policy formulation remains to be one of the most commonly identified challenges of policy and ensures the formulation of evidence based policy that can solve problem in the country.
