Building Bridges: A framework for redefining and decolonizing implementation science in low- and middle-income countries
6 affiliations
- 1Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- 2School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- 3Department of Infection and Immunology, Kathmandu Research Institute for Biological Sciences (KRIBS), Kathmandu, Nepal
- 4Department of Microbiology, Amrit Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
- 5National Institute of Bio-Science and Research Center (NIBARC), Kirtipur, Nepal
- 6Department of Sociology and Gerontology and Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States of America
Abstract
Implementation science (IS) is gaining recognition for its role in enhancing health outcomes by connecting research evidence with practical application. However, most IS frameworks have been developed in high-income countries (HICs), raising concerns about their applicability, fairness, and sustainability in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In LMICs, which are home to over 75% of the global population, implementation challenges are influenced by unique social, cultural, geopolitical, and health system factors. This context reflects both opportunities and disparities in current IS models, such as dependence on external funding, lack of understanding and utilization of Indigenous Knowledge and Practice, and the underrepresentation of local knowledge holders/researchers as inventors. This critical review underscores the urgent need to decolonize and redefine IS in LMICs or Global South. We propose the Building Bridges framework encompassing advancing equitable and decolonized IS as foundational principle and four key pillars, including localizing and adapting IS frameworks, shifting power to LMICs leadership, equitable collaboration, capacity building, reforming funding agencies, and diversifying review panels, to foster a more just and locally relevant IS agenda. By prioritizing local leadership and valuing diverse knowledge systems, IS can reshape the local health landscape by embedding community-led decision-making and privileging locally grounded evidence based on lived experience, cultural practices, and relational worldviews, crucial for driving equitable, resilient, and sustainable health solutions in LMICs.
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BibTeX
@article{rayamajhee2026building,
title = {{Building Bridges: A framework for redefining and decolonizing implementation science in low- and middle-income countries}},
author = {Binod Rayamajhee and Gopiram Syangtan and Bhupendra Lama and Saruna Ghimire and Brian Oldenburg and Uday Narayan Yadav},
journal = {PLOS Global Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pgph.0006155},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0006155},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Building Bridges: A framework for redefining and decolonizing implementation science in low- and middle-income countries
AU - Binod Rayamajhee
AU - Gopiram Syangtan
AU - Bhupendra Lama
AU - Saruna Ghimire
AU - Brian Oldenburg
AU - Uday Narayan Yadav
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/15
JO - PLOS Global Public Health
DO - 10.1371/journal.pgph.0006155
UR - https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0006155
AB - Implementation science (IS) is gaining recognition for its role in enhancing health outcomes by connecting research evidence with practical application. However, most IS frameworks have been developed in high-income countries (HICs), raising concerns about their applicability, fairness, and sustainability in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In LMICs, which are home to over 75% of the global population, implementation challenges are influenced by unique social, cultural, geopolitical, and health system factors. This context reflects both opportunities and disparities in current IS models, such as dependence on external funding, lack of understanding and utilization of Indigenous Knowledge and Practice, and the underrepresentation of local knowledge holders/researchers as inventors. This critical review underscores the urgent need to decolonize and redefine IS in LMICs or Global South. We propose the Building Bridges framework encompassing advancing equitable and decolonized IS as foundational principle and four key pillars, including localizing and adapting IS frameworks, shifting power to LMICs leadership, equitable collaboration, capacity building, reforming funding agencies, and diversifying review panels, to foster a more just and locally relevant IS agenda. By prioritizing local leadership and valuing diverse knowledge systems, IS can reshape the local health landscape by embedding community-led decision-making and privileging locally grounded evidence based on lived experience, cultural practices, and relational worldviews, crucial for driving equitable, resilient, and sustainable health solutions in LMICs.
SN - 2767-3375
ER -