EDCTP at COVID Circle online event

EDCTP is taking part in a panel discussion during the virtual event ‘What have we learned from funding COVID-19 research across the globe’ co-hosted by the UK Collaborative for Development Research (UKCDR) and Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness (GloPID-R), on 2 November 2021. The dialogue will hear directly from the funders on their reflections from funding COVID-19 research and the best practices to retain for future epidemic and pandemic situations, with a specific focus on low-and middle-income countries.

During the event, the report, ‘Funding and undertaking research during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: COVID CIRCLE lessons for funders’ will be published, which presents key lessons and future guidance for research funders to address the challenges of funding and conducting research in the context of an epidemic or pandemic, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The report also provides specific recommendations on the actions that funders could pursue to improve the implementation of the Funder Principles, particularly in low-resource settings. These include the need for greater long-term funding of networks which would provide the capacity to pivot to emerging diseases; the need for greater guidance, support and systems to realise Open Science; and greater global coordination including joint funding mechanisms.

Many examples of best research practice and innovative funding mechanisms that have taken place during the pandemic to date are highlighted. Examples of these are the EDCTP rapid emergency funding mechanism which mobilised €12.75m for research implemented in 25 Sub-Saharan African countries.