SURE Guide 6 is part of the SURE Guides for Preparing and Using Evidence-Based Policy Briefs. The SURE Guides are intended for those people responsible for preparing and supporting the use of policy briefs and ensuring that decisions about health systems are well-informed by research evidence. The guides focus specifically on these issues in the context of African health systems and the examples used are taken from policy briefs that address important problems in African countries.
SURE Guide 6 provides guidance on clarifying uncertainties and needs for monitoring and evaluation. Policy briefs can play an important role in ensuring that consideration is given to uncertainties about health policy options, and that such attention is given early in the policy development process rather than simply as an afterthought. The following questions can help to clarify uncertainties and needs for monitoring and evaluation:
• Are there important uncertainties that should be addressed prior to making a decision?
• What should potentially be monitored and how?
• What should potentially be evaluated and how?
The need for monitoring and evaluation should be considered at the stage when the policy options are decided (see Guide 4. Deciding on and describing policy options). In this guide, the need for monitoring and evaluation is discussed in greater detail.
