Project-Financed PHN Research

- 9 -

time to improve the quality of the stand-alone policy and medical research. The project provides research projects. for a US$4 million Population Research Fund to for a US$4 million Population Research Fund to finance research into a range of topics, including the socio-cultural and economic supports for largeand economic supports for large Nigerian Institute for Social and Economic Research through a Technical Committee which includes representatives of the major user groups. The project also supports extension to other states of research work at the University College Hospithe first World Health Organization collaborating fiscal year 1991, and which became effective in March 1992, has provision to support studies. studies were already underway to support anticipated requests for grants from the Fund.

It should be noted that a distinguished group the socio-cultural and economic supports for largeand economic supports for large of evaluation studies have been published about families and the determinants of fertility and this project. They showed large drops in undernu- contraceptive use in Nigeria. An interesting trition and mortality among children. However, feature is that the Fund is administered by the these studies were not funded by the project. Nigerian Institute for Social and Economic Re-

# _Mgerla_

Nigeria is another country where Bank tal of the University of Ibadan. The hospital was experience with project-financed research has been the first World Health Organization collaborating quite successful. In part this is due to the avail- research center for human reproduction in Africa. ability of able Nigerian researchers and senior The Health System Fund Project, also approved in officials interested to foster research and to use the fiscal year 1991, and which became effective in results in policy formulation and to prepare new March 1992, has provision to support studies. projects. In part, it is due to a continuing interest Even before the project became effective, some in research among the Bank staff responsible. studies were already underway to support anticiThe first PHN lending operation of the 1980s in Nigeria was the Sokoto Health Project approved in fiscal year 1985. The project includ- _Philippines_ ed US$1.4 million earmarked for studies. The money was used to prepare follow-on projects and The Philippine Health Development Project for major health care financing studies in Sokoto, approved in fiscal year 1989 includes a significant Ogun, and Oyo states. The survey work in Ogun policy research component. A contract for was used extensively by Bank staff to prepare a US$1.2 million for 36 studies was signed between major sub-sector report, _Federal Republic of Nge-_ the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philip- _ria-Health Care Cost, Fnancing and Utilization,_ pine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) in which appeared in October 1991. The results of mid-1991, and work is proceeding. the research and the sub-sector report are being used as a basis for the First Referral Hospital The project builds upon the successful Project and a nutrition project now under prepara- implementation of a grant made in 1988 to PIDSof a grant made in 1988 to PIDS tion.

used as a basis for the First Referral Hospital The project builds upon the successful Project and a nutrition project now under prepara- implementation of a grant made in 1988 to PIDSof a grant made in 1988 to PIDS tion. by the International Health Policy Program (IHPP), a program to encourage health policy A second lending operation in Nigeria, the research supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts Imo Health and Population Project approved in and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, in fiscal year 1989, included funds to establish a cooperation with the World Bank and the World Population Studies Center at Imo State University. Health Organization. That grant resulted in six The Center has been established, a director apsubstantial studies, mostly by younge **r** esearchers pointed, and a research program is being prepared. not previously working on health policy, which have been widely disseminated and carefully The National Population Project, approved reviewed by the DOH. in fiscal year 1991, is intended to support both