Case studies

Researchers, policy-makers, clinicians, students and teachers working in developing countries have historically suffered from a lack of access to up-to-date scientific literature, essential for furthering studies, discovering evidence, sharing findings, and informing teaching, practice and public policy. Most university libraries and research organisations in low-income countries do not have the budgets to pay for important peer-reviewed journals, a resource fundamental to the work undertaken in these very institutions. In a survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000, researchers and academics in developing countries ranked access to subscription based journals as one of their most pressing problems. In countries with annual incomes of US$1000 and less per person, 56% of institutions surveyed had no current subscriptions to international journals.

In March 2001, representatives from the WHO met with senior staff from six of the largest international scientific publishers to explore ways of closing this critical information gap. At that meeting, a public-private partnership was born which would provide those working within institutions in the world’s poorest countries with this essential access.

Since 2002, three programmes have been closing this information gap, leveraging proven information and communication technologies, and benefiting from the digitization of vast quantities of proprietary scientific literature.

Here are just some examples of how the Research4Life programmes have impacted those working in developing countries.

Unlocking the farming potential of arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya 

Antiretroviral drugs give HIV/AIDS sufferers a new lease of life in Uganda