Evidence on global development programs often remains fragmented by thematic areas of study or regions and populations. Evidence gap maps (EGMs) are the tools that visually highlight where evidence concentrations and gaps exist in a sector or topic area and, in doing so, consolidate knowledge of these programs to inform future investments in research and programming.In the field of health research and decision-making, EGMs play a crucial role. These graphic representations bring together available systematic reviews, ongoing research, and impact evaluations related to specific health topics. Presented in an intuitive and interactive format, EGMs empower researchers, policymakers, and health system administrators to navigate the vast landscape of evidence effectively.While creating an EGM may require more advanced skills, WHO EVIPNet and 3ie are stepping up. They organize workshops to strengthen the basic competencies of audiences in using and producing EGMs. These efforts contribute to
Hybrid Side event at the 2024 Prince Mahidol Award Conference23 January 2024, Bangkok, ThailandThe Evidence Unit of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine and the WHO Evidence to Policy and Impact Unit (Research for Health Department), are hosting a collaborative side event at the 2024 Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) exploring the current state of Evidence-informed policy-making (EIDM) institutionalization globally and the implications of its intersections with Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) in fostering inclusivity, health equity, epistemic justice, and decolonial global health governance. The side event will explore potential mechanisms (infrastructure, conditions, frameworks) for enhancing the use of evidence in global policy development toward realizing TCIM’s contribution to health and wellbeing. The use of evidence in policy and decision-making has exponentially grown, and it is now considered standard practice within health systems.