Many low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa, are overburdened with serious communicable disease epidemics and growing epidemics of non-communicable diseases. Their capacity to prevent, control and treat these diseases is hampered by weak health information systems and lack of experienced personnel to provide the information needed to improve both policy and practice.

The Centre for Operational Research (COR) was established to enhance the operational research (OR) capacity of these countries in the field of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, as well as key non-communicable diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

Objectives of COR:

• develop improved data collection and tracking systems for key communicable and non-communicable diseases based on the tuberculosis–DOTS model
• use electronic data systems to supplement and/or replace paper records for monitoring of disease burden
• enhance vital registration systems so that population impact of health interventions can be assessed
• increase advocacy and capacity for OR through conference symposia; a new model of OR training; OR fellowships; and strategic partnerships with organisations already engaged in OR, such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
• evaluate and track the influence of OR and strategic information in changing policy and practice
• engage with the World Health Organization and other international organisations to maximise the benefits of these approaches

Achievements by 30 September 2011

• 408,236 patients ever initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Malawi
• 145,352 patients registered for ART in Malawi, who are being monitored through an electronic database system
• 13,004 HIV-infected patients enrolled for care in Mandalay, Myanmar
• 2,210 diabetes mellitus patients in Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi, registered under the DOTS model
• 6 OR fellows appointed in Malawi, South Africa, Vietnam, India, Zimbabwe and Brazil and a further 4 OR fellows supported through memoranda of understanding in South Africa and Kenya
• 136 scientific publications in the three years since the Centre for Operational Research started its operations (between January 2009 and December 2011)
• Collaborations established with other international institutions and agencies, such as the World Health Organization, MSF, the International AIDS Society and the World Diabetes Foundation.