I. Background
The Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Higher Education Research & Innovation (MoHERI) are collaborating to offer a new strategic research grant opportunity focused on developing Innovative Solutions for Health Care Challenges to improve health care for the population in Oman.
The mission of this collaborative grant programme is to improve health care for the population in Oman and to accelerate the adoption of evidence-based health innovations that align the mutual interests of patients, healthcare professionals, and the community. The MoH is the lead organization for management of applications along with the strategic research programme committee. Grant funding will be provided by MoHERI.
The intent of this Call for Proposals (CFP) is to encourage researchers and organizations to submit research proposals designed to tackle and improve the understanding of health care challenges in Oman, design innovative solutions and study the impact of these solutions. Successful proposals will include a detailed plan and scope to address the selected research challenge. Proposals must describe how the outcomes, can be implemented, with possible evidence of scalability (e.g., integration with an electronic medical record system) and sustainability (e.g., plan for dissemination/applicability beyond the proposed institution). Consideration should be given regarding potential adaptation of the outcomes to different settings. The full proposal will go through a competitive peer-review and grant decision-making by the Programme Team.
II. Type of CFP Research Areas for the 2022 Cycle
Challenge 1: Cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are still ranked as the number 1 cause of disease burden in Oman. Prevalence of heart failure is increasing, and is expected to dramatically increase with the rise in the Omani population in hypertension and diabetes. Most of the CVD deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and a majority of these deaths occur prematurely in people under 70 years of age. This has an effect on the individual, family and society as a whole and represents a burden on many institutions, especially health institutions. Efforts toward controlling and preventing CVDs, and developing appropriate actions should be based on the evidence emanating from national strategic research.
Challenge 2: Leadership and Health System Governance
As part of the building blocks of the health system, leadership and governance in health is a cross-cutting theme, connected closely to Oman 2040 Vision of directing the healthcare system to operate with quality, transparency, fairness, and accountability. As per the World Health Organization’s framework for strengthening health systems to improve health outcomes, leadership and governance is a core component that involves “ensuring that strategic policy frameworks exist and are combined with effective oversight, coalition-building, regulation, attention to system design and accountability”. Robust health governance at all levels is essential to ensure that resources devoted to the health sector allow for adequate access to health care and improved health.
Applicant organisations may choose to submit single or multiple full proposal for projects that are aligned with the research challenge(s). Partnering, coordination, and collaboration between organizations are strongly encouraged. Also welcomed are intra-organizational collaborations that bring special expertise to the project, such as information technology, and others.
III. CFP key information
| Scope: | Focused collaborative strategic research on selected national research priorities. |
| Research Challenge Title 1: | Cardiovascular Diseases |
| Research Areas: |
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| Research Challenge Title 2: | Leadership and Health System Governance |
| Research Areas: |
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| Type of Submission: | Full proposals only |
| Eligibility criteria: | · Applications should be limited ONLY to the research areas of the selected theme/challenge(s). Unrelated applications will not be considered.
· Principal Investigator (PI): PhD holder or equivalent (clinicians: senior specialist or higher) · PI should be from an organisation that is electronically connected to Ministry of Higher Education Research and Innovation |
| Key requirements: | · Individual projects can be funded for up to a maximum of 24-months’ duration
· MoHERI will fund up to 50% of the total project cost with a maximum cap of OMR 50,000 · PI and Co-PI should be from the same organisation · PI and Co-PI should not have any ongoing funded projects from MoHERI · Confirmation and details of cash/material/in-kind contribution in writing to be attached with the proposal |
| Selection criteria: | Submissions will be evaluated on the basis of:
· Alignment to CFP described theme/challenge research areas · Applicant knowledge of and experience with the area · Capability of carrying out the work · Inter-sectoral collaboration · Potential impact and expected outcomes of the project · Adaptation of the outcomes by the stakeholders · Dissemination strategies |
| Key dates/deadlines: | · 12 December 2022 CFP released
· 28 February 2023 Full Proposals due (has been extended to 13th March 2023) · 12 May 2023 for pending relevant ethical approval letters |
| How to Submit: | Submissions should be made as an ‘SRP Application’ on the MoHERI website (rims.trc.gov.om)
Please ensure respective ethical approvals are obtained (as appropriate). |
Strategic Research Programme Guideline
RIMS Proposal Submission Guideline
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