Funding and COVID-19 research priorities - are the research needs for Africa being met?

Abstract

Background: Emerging data from Africa indicates remarkably low numbers of reported COVID-19 deaths despite high levels of disease transmission. However, evolution of these trends as the pandemic progresses remains unknown. More certain are the devastating long-term impacts of the pandemic on health and development evident globally. Research tailored to the unique needs of African countries is crucial. UKCDR and GloPID-R have launched a tracker of funded COVID-19 projects mapped to the WHO research priorities and research priorities of Africa and less-resourced countries and published a baseline analysis of a living systematic review (LSR) of these projects. Methods: In-depth analyses of the baseline LSR for COVID-19 funded research projects in Africa (as of 15th July 2020) to determine the funding landscape and alignment of the projects to research priorities of relevance to Africa. Results: The limited COVID-19 related research across Africa appears to be supported mainly by international funding, especially from Europe, although with notably limited funding from United States-based funders. At the time of this analysis no research projects funded by an African-based funder were identified in the tracker although there are several active funding calls geared at research in Africa and there may be funding data that has not been made publicly available. Many projects mapped to the WHO research priorities and five particular gaps in research funding were identified, namely: investigating the role of children in COVID-19 transmission; effective modes of community engagement; health systems research; communication of uncertainties surrounding mother-to-child transmission of COVID-19; and identifying ways to promote international cooperation. Capacity strengthening was identified as a dominant theme in funded research project plans. Conclusions: We found significantly lower funding investments in COVID-19 research in Africa compared to high-income countries, seven months into the pandemic, indicating a paucity of research targeting the research priorities of relevance to Africa.

A living mapping review for COVID-19 funded research projects: six-month update

“…There remain clear research gaps relating to health systems, optimal personal protective equipment use, health care worker support and community engagement. We published a separate detailed sub-analysis of the baseline tracker data relating to COVID 19 research in Africa, in collaboration with the African Academy of Sciences 6 .…”

“…Here, in version three, we present the results of the second three-month update of all research projects within the tracker as of 15 th January 2020 and a descriptive and thematic analysis to aid interpretation of the global COVID-19 funded research portfolio. We have additionally published a more detailed analysis on the African continent specific baseline data from this tracker in collaboration with the African Academy of Sciences 6 .…”

Pandemic preparedness and responsiveness of research review committees: lessons from review of COVID-19 protocols at KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya

“…Based on experiences from previous public health emergencies, it is clear that research review systems are central to expediency of key research questions needed to guide pandemic responses, but also that this expedience is challenged by the practical and ethical considerations that need to be made under pressure. Some of these challenges emanate from novelty of the pathogen, and thus the little data available to inform decisions about balance of risks, harms and burdens against benefits, and difficulties in determining appropriate standard-of-care, fair selection of participants, and the quality and legitimacy of informed consent 8 – 10 .…”

A living mapping review for COVID-19 funded research projects: three-month update

“…Here we present the results of the three-month update of all research projects within the tracker as of 15 th October 2020 and a descriptive and thematic analysis to aid interpretation of the global COVID-19 funded research portfolio. We have additionally recently published a more detailed analysis on the African continent specific baseline data from this tracker in collaboration with the African Academy of Sciences 6 .…”