Call for Writers: “What does an affordable and sustainable 21st-century African health system look like?” Research Matters in Governance, Equity and Health1 is proud to launch this Call for Writers – a search designed to deepen the ongoing investigation into health systems and health systems research. Research Matters is currently seeking several writers interested in writing on the topic: “What does an affordable and sustainable 21st-century African health system look like?” These commissioned papers are envisioned as big-picture think pieces that will further our understanding of what a functioning health system might look like in practice. Specific questions to be addressed could include: What is this ideal of a “health system”? What does it mean in concrete terms? What are the different dimensions and conceptions of health systems? What are the interconnected elements that must come together for a strong and sustainable system? What are the major knowledge gaps that impede further understanding of the meaning of the term “health system”? Or are there more pressing questions to be answered? These papers are not intended to emphasize particular African experiences – although it is expected that specific country experiences may invariably arise – but rather to provide a broad and far-reaching perspective on health systems. The resulting papers will be used to inform researchers, policy-makers and the international donor community with a clearer and more comprehensive idea of an affordable, sustainable and functioning sub-Saharan African health system. The final paper should be about 15-20 pages, and it must include a separate one-page executive summary. It must be submitted no later than 20 May 2006. Each successful applicant will be awarded a small honorarium of CAD $5000. Research Matters is a joint initiative of the International Development Research Center (IDRC) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). It is designed to support the effective exchange and translation of sound and innovative research with policy and practice; to connect researchers with the users of research; and to capture and synthesize the lessons, experience, and evidence from Governance, Equity and Health (GEH) and related projects. This is an open call. Applications should be emailed and received by 5pm on Monday 3 April 2006 (North American Eastern Standard Time). Applications should include: * A brief two-paragraph synopsis of the proposed paper, including the specific elements of the “big picture” to be investigated * A 3-page sample of a paper written by the applicant in an area related to that of the proposed paper * CVs and contact information (including email, mailing address, fax and telephone). Applications should be sent to the Research Matters Information Officer, Anne-Marie Schryer-Roy <aschryer-roy@idrc.ca> with ‘Health systems paper’ and the last name of the applicant in the subject line. For more information, please visit www.research-matters.net or contact: Anne-Marie Schryer-Roy Information Officer Research Matters in Governance, Equity and Health a collaboration of International Development Research Centre (IDRC) - and - Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Tel: (613) 236-6163, ext. 2320 Fax: (613) 567-7748 aschryer-roy@idrc.ca OR Sandy (Alexander) Campbell Project Coordinator Research Matters in Governance, Equity, and Health a collaboration of International Development Research Centre (IDRC) - and - Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Tel: [Jan 23-May 17] (260) 1-252881 / 252754 / 252712 scampbell@idrc.ca www.research.matters.net