Global Standards Local Practices.

An argument for contextual policy-making，design of interventions and policy evaluation

Context is 'colourful'. History, culture, beliefs, values, day to day opportunities and challenges are behind the context of a geographical area, a health issue, a population etc. Even within a country, a region within a country, a village there is not one 'reality'. Together they are the context that needs to be taken into consideration.
Global Standards Local Practices.
We fail to take ALL aspects into account when developing new strategies, introduce interventions or evaluate existing ones. Context is 'simplified' for our convenience. The results are sub-optimal impact.
Global Standards Local Practices.
The less 'context' we take into account the less appropriate strategies, interventions and evaluations become. This affects outcomes.
Global Standards Local Practices.
'One size fits all' interventions and evaluations do not address real issues nor reflect the colourful reality.
Global Standards Local Practices.
Global Standards Local Practices.
Context is 'colourful'. History, culture, beliefs, values, day to day opportunities and challenges are behind the context of a geographical area, a health issue, a population etc. Even within a country, a region within a country, a village there is not one 'reality'. Together they are the context that needs to be taken into consideration.
Global Standards Local Practices.
Global Standards Local Practices.
We fail to take ALL aspects into account when developing new strategies, introduce interventions or evaluate existing ones. Context is 'simplified' for our convenience. The results are sub-optimal impact.
Global Standards Local Practices.
The less 'context' we take into account the less appropriate strategies, interventions and evaluations become. This affects outcomes.
Global Standards Local Practices.
'One size fits all' interventions and evaluations do not address real issues nor reflect the colourful reality.

Whats New?

  • Rwanda has had a recent outbreak of Marburg Haemorrhagic Fever (MHF), a virus similar to Ebola. Past experience in Africa has given case fatality rates of up to 88%. Rwanda's case fatality rate was 23% of a total of 66 cases. The outbreak was short-lived. In this blog we discuss the contributing factors to the relative success of Rwanda's Covid19 vaccine strategy and the control of this Marburg outbreak.

    Read More 

  • Kenya has recently introduced a new national health service provision system towards achieving Universal Health Coverage. We present some of the differencesvwith the previous National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). We welcome your experiences and suggestions.

    Read More 

  • The Trump Administration's directives on US government international aid have sparked discussions from across the globe. The introduction of two USAID Strategy Papers in October 2025 were designed for greater efficiency of USAID health projects. These Strategy Papers focused on evaluating the impact of key initiatives and increasing the use of direct cash transfers to the poor for maximum effect on impoverished populations and communities. However, now discussions focus on the 'gap' resulting from the new directives from Washington. We discuss the many directions this debate is moving in.

    Read More