An activity of DCPN-DGH that was not part of earlier DCP projects is to build a sustainable country-based network for disease priority-setting activities. It has both analytical and capacity-building goals. The intention is for DCPN-DGH to work with institutional collaborators in selected LMICs that have nascent capacity and strong commitment to establish disease priority-setting in their policy institutions. Specifically, this work is helping develop capabilities within countries to carry out DCPN methods and influence policymakers to employ economic evaluation for decision-making. Specific topical foci is determined by the country institutional collaborator based on policy needs, in collaboration with DCPN-DGH. Capacity-building investments from DCPN-DGH include: training and technical workshops on burden measurement, costing and economic evaluation as needed, support to develop training materials and other enduring tools, and support to join global DCP meetings on methodological development and exchanges of expertise.
The DGH project team has formalized relationships with collaborators and is creating communication that facilitates and fosters interaction and mutual exchange where useful among countries in order to produce synergies among the research, capacity-building, and policy influence activities of the project across countries.