Operational research to End TB: 2nd edition of the Union's Guide to operational research.

In 2009, The Union developed two new approaches to build operational research capacity in low- and middle-income countries. First, an output-orientated model of training, in which participants learned research skills and simultaneously conducted and published a research study. Second, operational research fellowships were created and persons appointed to national programmes conducted relevant country-wide research. Considerable skills, experience and know-how were thus amassed to enable The Union to develop the 2nd edition of its Guide to operational research. Here we describe The Union's efforts to promote and create capacity in operational research and present an overview of the Guide's contents.