Promoting evidence informed policy making in Nigeria : a review of the maternal, newborn and child health policy development process

The study reviewed policy documents on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) in Nigeria to assess the application of evidence-informed mechanisms in the policy formulation process. From a literature review, policy documents indicate that a consultative process of collection of inputs involving multiple stakeholders was employed, but there was no rigorous scientific process of assessing, adaptation and application of scientific evidence acknowledged in the policy development process. The policy documents neither reported the process of production of evidence used in their development nor indicated the mechanisms in place for knowledge transfer and use of health research findings