This workshop was conducted in collaboration with Cochrane South Africa. The workshop in January introduced participants to the GRADE system of assessing overall quality of evidence. There were 19 participants from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon and Bostwana. Dr. Ekwaro Obuku, Dr Newton Opio (Cochrane Editorial Unit) and Dr Jamlick Kirumbi (Ministry of Health Kenya) were the lead facilitators. Dr Robert Basaza (policy dialogues), Dr. Boniface Mutatina (the Uganda clearing house for health policy and systems research), Dr. Moses Ocan (meta-analysis), Dr Alison Kinengyere (search strategy) and Dr. Rhona Mijumbi (health systems) were co-facilitators.